CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The estimate from carbon dioxide emissions from offices is as follows:
	 Tonnes of carbon dioxide
	 In total
	2006-07: 4,615
	2007-08: 2,251
	 Per full-time equivalent member of staff
	2006-07: 5.560
	2007-08: 3.19

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport of administrative operations by his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has made the following estimate of carbon dioxide arising from road-based transport of administrative operations.
	 Total
	2006-07: 3.309 tonnes of CO2
	2007-08: 4.39 tonnes of CO2
	 Per full-time equivalent member of staff
	2006-07: .005 tonnes of CO2
	2007-08: .006 tonnes of CO2.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel by staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has made the following estimate on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel from staff:
	 Total
	2006-07: 172 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions
	2007-08: 125.78 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions
	 Per full-time equivalent member of staff
	2006-07: 0.207 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions
	2007-08: 0.16 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has not collected data on the amount of expenditure spent on energy efficiency measures on its estate.
	Details of the Department's future plans for energy efficiency measures can be found in the August 2008 Sustainable Procurement and Operations on the Government Estate Delivery Plan and the December 2008 Delivery Plan Update.

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's estimate of energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff is as follows:
	2006-07: 16,343 kwh/FTE
	2007-08: 8,109 kwh/FTE

Departmental Official Hospitality

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by his Department  (a) on drink,  (b) on food and  (c) overall in relation to the departmental function held on 23 June 2009; and if he will list the people invited by his Department.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 2 July 2009
	The Department spent £243.25 on drinks and £600.00 on food (the overall cost was £1,251.25 which includes catering staff, equipment hire and delivery) for the function held on 23 June 2009. The people invited were journalists covering DCMS sectors.

Departmental Recycling

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) volume and  (b) percentage of waste his Department recycled in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport produced the following volume and percentage of waste:
	 2006-07
	Figures are not available
	 2007-08
	Volume: 60 tonnes
	Recycled: 80 per cent.

Departmental Waste

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the amount of waste arising from his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has made the following estimate of the amount of waste arising:
	 Total
	2006-07: 2,070 tonnes
	2007-08: 187.32 tonnes
	 Per full-time equivalent member of staff
	2006-07: 2.49 tonnes/FTE
	2007-08: 0.27 tonnes/FTE.

Departmental Water

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of water consumption on his Department's office estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has made the following estimate of water consumption on the office estate:
	 Estimated water consumption (m( 3) )
	 Total
	2005-06: 8,423
	2006-07: 7,424
	 Per full-time equivalent member of staff
	2005-06: 15
	2006-07: 10.52

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment was made of the appropriateness of the Vector armoured vehicle for use in Afghanistan before its acquisition in 2006.

Quentin Davies: The Vector Light Protected Patrol Vehicle passed a variety of appropriate tests and trials prior to its entry into service to ensure it met the threat as it was assessed at the time. Due to the way that the threat has evolved since 2006, it is the intention to withdraw Vector from operations in Afghanistan .

Armed Forces: Higher Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many doctorates of philosophy studies his Department funded for military students attending a civilian university in each of the last four years.

Bill Rammell: During the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009, 983 post graduate qualifications, specifically related to military training and education requirements, were funded for military personnel. The statistics held do not distinguish between the types of qualification, although future returns will identify PhDs and Masters Degrees separately.
	The specific information requested on PhDs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

European Fighter Aircraft

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the operational deployment of the third tranche of Typhoon; and how many squadrons the third tranche of Typhoon will comprise when the delivery is completed.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 July,  Official Report, column 558W. The placement of Tranche 3 aircraft across the current planned Typhoon Squadrons has not yet been decided and as such there has been no decision about their operational deployment.

Gurkhas: Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average pension payment to a member of the  (a) Gurkha Pension Scheme and  (b) Armed Forces Pension Scheme was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: The latest available figures for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) relate to financial year 2007-08. This period has therefore been used for the figures given for the average monthly payments made under both schemes:
	Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS): £122.64
	AFPS: £578.41
	These figures are based upon average pensions paid to former members of the armed forces, their spouses, and dependants. These averages are not comparable because of different lengths of service, different rank structure between the Brigade of Gurkhas and the wider Army and, chiefly, because Gurkhas begin drawing on their pensions much earlier than British soldiers with equivalent service. For example, a Gurkha Rifleman or Corporal with 15 years service (approximately 85 per cent. of those receiving GPS payments) can claim an immediate pension after 15 years service (from age 33) whereas equivalent service under the AFPS would not attract pension payments until age 60.

Gurkhas: Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department calculated its estimate of the £1.5 billion required to give Gurkhas on the Gurkha Pension Scheme a retrospective pension equivalent to their UK counterparts.

Kevan Jones: £1.5 billion is an estimate of the capitalised cost of providing retired Gurkhas with Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) equivalent pension benefits for all pensionable service before 1 July 1997.
	The estimate was calculated by the Government Actuary's Department and identifies the additional capitalised cost that would be incurred if benefits of equivalent value to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme were granted for all pensionable service before 1 July 1997, on the same terms as provided for post-1 July 1997 service in the Gurkha Offer to Transfer exercise. The estimated cost is based on the assumptions and methodology applied in the Gurkha Offer to Transfer, and assumes that the profile of Gurkha pensioners and dependants who retired before 1 July 1997 is similar to those that retired post 1 July 1997.

Gurkhas: Pensions

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the Gurkha pension scheme to extend eligibility to those veterans who left the Brigade prior to 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Gurkha veterans who left the Army before 1 July 1997 are already eligible for benefits from the Gurkha Pension Scheme.
	The hon. Member may have in mind the question of whether such individuals should be eligible for benefits from the Armed Forces Pension Scheme in the same way as those who left the Army on or after 1 July 1997. The High Court agreed in July 2008 that it was fair and reasonable for the Department to use this date as a cut-off point for eligibility for the pensions offer in 2007-08.
	Although annual payments to British soldiers will eventually be higher than Gurkhas, with the same 15 years service, Gurkhas pensions begin paying out much earlier (as young as 33) whereas the British soldiers preserved rights do not become payable until age 60.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unexploded improvised explosive devices were discovered by UK troops in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Met Office: Cost Effectiveness

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether officials of his Department have met officials from the Shareholder Executive to discuss opportunities for private sector partners to develop specific services to complement those of the Met Office.

Kevan Jones: The Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) Met Office Review Group is comprised of officials from the Ministry of Defence, Shareholder Executive, HM Treasury and the Met Office and meets regularly in undertaking the review.
	This group is responsible for taking forward all aspects of the Met Office review as set out in the OEP Final Report published in April 2009. While exploring all options and opportunities, initial discussions began regarding opportunities for engaging with private sector partners. However, this aspect of the work is at an early stage, and more detailed work on this topic will be taking place over the coming months. A further update on progress of the review will be provided with the pre-Budget report.

Met Office: Cost Effectiveness

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the reference in the Operational Efficiency Programme to the greater involvement of the private sector with the Met Office includes involvement by  (a) the private weather sector and  (b) private equity.

Kevan Jones: An update on progress of the Met Office Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) review was provided in the OEP Final Report published April 2009. The update included reference to the potential expansion of commercial operations at the Met Office, possibly through the introduction of private capital in some areas, as well as seeking opportunities to develop specific services with private sector partners to complement Met Office's business. The private weather sector were involved in the Trading Fund Assessment work. Further involvement of the private sector, which could in principle include involvement by the private weather sector and private equity, will be considered as we develop more detailed work over the coming months. A further update on progress of the review will be provided with the pre-Budget report.

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times each type of aircraft has  (a) come under fire and  (b) been damaged by enemy fire in Afghanistan in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Military Bases: Northern Ireland

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many military bases his Department have closed in Northern Ireland in each year since 1998;
	(2)  how many military bases his Department has in Northern Ireland; and how many such bases it  (a) owned and  (b) operated in each year since 1998.

Bill Rammell: The information requested on the number of operational and closed military bases in Northern Ireland and the terms on which they were occupied, in each year since 1998, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the Government's Security Strategy Paper published in December 1999 recorded 72 open and 34 closed military sites including regular military bases, training areas, joint Police Service Northern Ireland/military bases, communication sites, and observation towers.
	Further information on open and closed military sites from 31 May 2004 is included in the second, ninth, eleventh, fourteenth and sixteenth reports of the International Monitoring Commission (IMC), copies of which are available in the Library of the House. These reports can also be found on the IMC website:
	http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org
	In particular, the sixteenth report explains the terms on which the military occupied the sites and the arrangements for their disposal.
	The current regular Northern Ireland Garrison bases and the terms on which they are occupied are as follows:
	RAF Aldergrove (Freehold)
	Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinler (Freehold)
	Ballykinler Training Camp (Freehold)
	Divis Key Point (on Divis Mountain) (Freehold)
	Duke of Connaught Unit, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast (Leasehold)
	Massereene Barracks, Antrim (Freehold)
	Kinnegar Station, Holywood (Freehold)
	Palace Barracks, Holywood (Freehold)
	Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn (Freehold)
	Magilligan Training Camp (Freehold)

Trident

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the planned lifespan is of the existing generation of Trident missile warheads; what recent consideration he has given to the practicability of extending that lifespan; and if he will estimate the likely savings to the public purse of undertaking such an extension instead of procuring a replacement system.

Bob Ainsworth: The UK's existing nuclear warhead design is likely to last into the 2020s, although we do not yet have sufficient information to judge precisely how long we can retain it in service. We are currently undertaking detailed studies to assess this and potential options for replacement should that be necessary. It is too soon to estimate the precise timing and the potential costs of any options beyond the £2-3 billion estimate, at 2006-07 prices, given in the 2006 Defence White Paper.

WALES

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what categories of personal information on members of the public are contained on each database which contains such data managed by his Department and its agencies; when each category of information was first collected; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not maintain such databases.

Departmental Manpower

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff are based at each of his Department's offices.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office is split between two locations, London and Cardiff Bay. There are 41 staff based in London and 16 staff based in Cardiff Bay. A number of staff divide their time between the two offices.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Tibet

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date his Department amended its procedures for the description on asylum applications of applicants of Tibetan origin; and for what reasons the procedures were amended.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written ministerial statement of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, column 30WS, from my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary (David Miliband).

Crime: Alcoholic Drinks

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Merseyside aged  (a) under 18 and  (b) between 18 and 24 years old have been (i) cautioned and (ii) prosecuted for alcohol-related offences in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: Data showing the number of offenders cautioned for alcohol related offences in Merseyside Police Force Area, broken down by age, from 2003-07 can be viewed in Table 1. The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts can be viewed in Table 2 and the number of Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) can be viewed in Table 3.
	2008 data will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Table 1; Number of offenders cautioned for alcohol related offences( 1 ) in the Merseyside Police Force Area, broken down by age, 2003 - 07( 2,3,4) 
			  Age  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 10 to 17 199 178 79 19 48 
			 18 to 24 763 340 48 41 54 
			 (1) Includes offences under the: Licensing Act 1872 s. 12; Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 ss. 1 (2)(3)(4) & 1 A(2)(3)(4), 2(1 )(2), 5B(2)(3), 5C(3)(4), 5D(2)(3), 6(2); Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997 s. 1; Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 ss.12, 17, 25(3)(a)(b), 25(4)(5), 32; Criminal Justice Act 1967 s.91; Licensing Act 1964 ss. 5C(5), 6, 6, 19, 28(3), 34, 36, 39(1)(2)(3)(4), 45, 48, 51(4), 53, 59(1)(a)(b), 71(4), 72, 84, 85(2), 89, 155(1)(a), 157(1)(a)(b), 157(1)(b), 159, 160,(1 )(a)(b), 161(1)(2), 162, 163, 164(1)(2), 165, 166(1)(a)(b), 167, 168A, 168(1)(2), 169A, 169B, 169C(1)(2)(3), 169E(1), 169F, 169G, 170, 171A(1), 172, 172A, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179A(6), 179B(5)(6), 179E(8), 179H(2), 181A(1)(2)(3), 183(1)(2)(3), 184, 185, 186, 187(3)(4), 188, 193(7) Sch.8 Appendix C s. 6, Appendix D; Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 s.1; Licensing Act 2003 ss. 33, 40, 41, 46, 49, 56, 57, 59, 82, 83, 93, 94, 96, 108, 109, 123, 127, 128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 147A, 148, 149(1)(3)(4)(7(a)(b), 150(1)(2), 151, 152, 153, 156, 157, 158, 160, 161, 165, 168, 179, 197, Sch.8 paras 1 and 22; Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ss. 11, 27; Road Traffic Act 1991 s. 3; Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969 ss. 7(2), 8, 9(1)(4), 10; Town Police Clauses Act 1847 ss. 35, 61; London Hackney Carriage Act 1843 s.28; Merchant Shipping Act 1995 s.101(1)(a)(b), (4) and (5); Licensing Act 1902 ss.2, 6(2)(a)(b); Similar provisions in Local Acts; Road Traffic Act ss.4(1)(2) s.5(1)(a)(b), s.6(4), s.7(6); Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 3A, 7A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.56, Transport and Works Act 1992 S.31A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.52; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 s.3 [Sch. Para. 2, 3(a)(0), 4(1)(2)(3), 5, 6, 7, 8(2), 9(2)]; Licensing Act 1988 s. 17, 18; Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, s. 19; Children and Young Persons Act 1933 s. 5; Criminal Justice Act 1996 s. 6. (2) The cautions statistics cover simple and conditional cautions, reprimands and warnings. They relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Evidence and Analysis Unit 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for alcohol related offences, in Merseyside Police Force Area( 1) , broken down by age, 2003 - 07( 2,3) 
			  Age  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 10 to 17 241 195 137 127 148 
			 18 to 24 1,453 1,174 860 785 910 
			 (1) Includes offences under the: Licensing Act 1872 s.12; Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 ss.1(2)(3)(4) and 1A(2)(3)(4), 2(1)(2), 5B(2)(3), 5C(3)(4), 5D(2)(3), 6(2); Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997 s. 1; Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 ss.12, 17, 25(3)(a)(b), 25(4)(5), 32; Criminal Justice Act 1967 s.91; Licensing Act 1964 ss. 5C(5), 6, 6, 19, 28(3), 34, 36, 39(1)(2)(3)(4), 45, 48, 51(4), 53, 59(1)(a)(b), 71(4), 72, 84, 85(2), 89, 155(1)(a), 157(1)(a)(b), 157(1)(b), 159, 160,(1 )(a)(b), 161(1)(2), 162, 163, 164(1)(2), 165, 166(1)(a)(b), 167, 168A, 168(1)(2), 169A, 169B, 169C(1)(2)(3), 169E(1), 169F, 169G, 170, 171A(1), 172, 172A, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179A(6), 179B(5)(6), 179E(8), 179H(2), 181A(1)(2)(3), 183(1)(2)(3), 184, 185, 186, 187(3)(4), 188, 193(7) Sch.8 Appendix C s. 6, Appendix D; Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 s.1; Licensing Act 2003 ss. 33, 40, 41, 46, 49, 56, 57, 59, 82, 83, 93, 94, 96, 108, 109, 123, 127, 128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 147A, 148, 149(1)(3)(4)(7(a)(b), 150(1)(2), 151, 152, 153, 156, 157, 158, 160, 161, 165, 168, 179, 197, Sch.8 paras 1 and 22; Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ss. 11,27; Road Traffic Act 1991 s. 3; Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969 ss. 7(2), 8, 9(1)(4), 10; Town Police Clauses Act 1847 ss. 35, 61; London Hackney Carriage Act 1843 s.28; Merchant Shipping Act 19g5 s.101(1)(a)(b), (4) and (5); Licensing Act 1902 ss.2, 6(2)(a)(b); Similar provisions in Local Acts; Road Traffic Act ss.4(1)(2) s.5(1)(a)(b), s.6(4), s.7(6); Road Traffic Act 1988 ss. 3A, 7A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.56, Transport and Works Act 1992 S.31A as added by Police Reform Act 2002 s.52; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 s.3 [Sch. Para. 2, 3(a)(b), 4(1)(2)(3), 5, 6, 7, 8(2), 9(2)]; Licensing Act 1988 s. 17, 18; Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, s. 19; Children and Young Persons Act 1933 s. 5; Criminal Justice Act 1996 s. 6. (2) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Evidence and Analysis Unit 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) issued for alcohol related offences( 1 ) in Merseyside Police Force Area, broken down by age, 2004 - 07( 2,3) 
			  Age  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 16 to 17 223 391 395 354 
			 18 to 24 1,295 1,731 1,547 1,780 
			 (1) Includes offences under the: Criminal Justice Act 1967 s. 91; Licensing Act 2003 s. 141, 146(1)(3), 149(1)(3)(4), 150(1)(2), 151; Licensing Act 1872 s. 12; Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s. 12; (2) The offence of being 'drunk and disorderly' moved from the lower tier (£50) to the upper tier (£80) on 1 November 2004; Sale of alcohol to a person under 18, Purchasing alcohol for a person under 18, Delivery of alcohol to a person under 18 or allowing such delivery, Consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises, Allowing consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises, were added to the scheme on 1 November 2004; Sale of alcohol to a drunken person, Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18, were added to the Scheme with effect from 4 April 2005. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source:  Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Evidence and Analysis Unit

Crimes of Violence: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) crimes of burglary,  (b) violent crimes and  (c) vehicle crimes were reported in (i) Hemel Hempstead, (ii) Dacorum and (iii) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The available information relates to offences recorded by the police and is given in the table. Hemel Hempstead comes within the Dacorum Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area and separate figures for Hemel Hempstead are not available centrally.
	A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to suggestions in the two reviews of crime statistics. One such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics and figures for violence against the person are now provided.
	
		
			  Selected offences recorded by the police in the Dacorum Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area and the Hertfordshire police force area 
			  Number of offences 
			  Area and year  Burglary( 1)  Violence against the person  Vehicle crime( 2) 
			  Dacorum
			 2003-04 1,446 1,440 2,539 
			 2004-05 1,314 2,073 2,033 
			 2005-06 1,108 1,939 1,535 
			 2006-07 1,149 2,155 1,540 
			 2007-08 924 1,617 1,576 
			 
			  Hertfordshire
			 2003-04 12,783 12,356 16,885 
			 2004-05 11,471 16,845 13,548 
			 2005-06 10,656 16,206 12,965 
			 2006-07 9,764 16,890 11,914 
			 2007-08 9,534 13,348 11,366 
			 (1) Includes burglary in a dwelling and other burglary. (2) Includes theft of or from a vehicle and interfering with a motor vehicle.

Fraud: Credit Cards

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to reduce the level of credit card fraud in the last 12 months.

Alan Campbell: A great deal of fraud can be prevented if organisations have proper fraud prevention measures in place and if individuals protect their cards and financial details. Prevention initiatives complement fraud investigation and prosecution. The Home Office therefore works closely with the payments card industry and actively supports fraud prevention initiatives introduced by the finance and retail sectors such as the Be Card Smart Online campaign introduced by the payment card industry last year with support from Vernon Coaker. I (Alan Campbell) most recently met with representatives of the payments card industry in March this year to discuss issues around card fraud.
	The Government publish fraud prevention advice on the Home Office, Crime Reduction and Consumer Direct websites.

Homophobia: Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle homophobic crime.

Alan Campbell: The 'Saving Lives, Reducing Harm, Protecting the Public; An Action Plan for Tackling Violence 2008-11' committed us to producing a dedicated cross-Government action plan to assist local partners in developing their responses to hate crime. This strategic action plan involves a number of actions that will aim to increase victim and community confidence in the criminal justice system, help prevent hate crimes from occurring or escalating in seriousness; and improve access to and take up of victim support. The action plan will be published over the summer.
	The Government have also introduced an offence of inciting hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. We expect the provisions on incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation to come into force in the autumn.

Offensive Weapons

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of offences related to possession of a knife in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Johnson: Information showing the number of persons found guilty at all courts for having an article with a blade or point in a public place or on school premises, in England and Wales, broken down by police force area for 1998 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table. Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  Number of persons found guilty at all courts for having an article with a blade or point in a public place or on school premises, England and Wales, 1998 to 2007, broken down by police force area( 1,2) 
			  Police force area  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Avon and Somerset 69 113 87 105 144 152 146 128 168 163 
			 Bedfordshire 36 23 40 32 40 57 68 78 61 62 
			 Cambridgeshire 35 31 15 27 46 34 62 57 67 54 
			 Cheshire 63 52 51 36 54 54 48 82 84 108 
			 City of London 8 4 8 9 17 19 20 18 11 9 
			 Cleveland 31 31 21 42 69 70 81 71 76 90 
			 Cumbria 27 37 27 28 37 45 46 50 41 46 
			 Derbyshire 31 36 40 53 68 82 100 79 77 99 
			 Devon and Cornwall 78 75 70 71 110 129 126 143 120 138 
			 Dorset 41 32 32 32 55 49 59 61 67 63 
			 Durham 30 35 43 35 76 64 68 89 91 92 
			 Essex 97 96 100 99 103 146 201 176 175 160 
			 Gloucestershire 34 18 17 24 26 32 42 39 39 41 
			 Greater Manchester 242 207 222 281 298 304 344 349 393 394 
			 Hampshire 111 93 106 114 113 153 177 162 161 169 
			 Hertfordshire 29 28 27 25 53 83 84 92 84 68 
			 Humberside 45 65 55 46 69 65 106 115 125 147 
			 Kent 73 84 77 76 33 35 13 12 6 5 
			 Lancashire 120 97 87 106 98 136 161 150 144 151 
			 Leicestershire 69 62 54 65 76 91 98 92 113 118 
			 Lincolnshire 40 54 46 41 50 71 65 53 69 47 
			 Merseyside 169 131 124 121 160 165 199 198 218 215 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,327 1,083 1,164 1,507 1,871 1,687 1,615 1,698 1,691 1,459 
			 Norfolk 50 46 36 41 59 69 70 69 62 78 
			 North Yorkshire 34 45 33 45 52 50 69 66 57 52 
			 Northamptonshire 11 14 8 3 2 2 3 6 1 4 
			 Northumbria 101 114 121 153 171 183 211 216 217 259 
			 Nottinghamshire 41 45 47 56 68 85 115 117 144 152 
			 South Yorkshire 58 63 66 114 146 147 117 169 150 138 
			 Staffordshire(3) 39 42 — 34 68 63 71 60 92 86 
			 Suffolk 22 26 30 31 61 52 68 69 106 89 
			 Surrey 13 12 25 32 27 37 40 35 37 42 
			 Sussex 66 92 84 100 127 123 114 121 138 140 
			 Thames Valley 79 75 54 77 85 76 117 145 178 139 
			 Warwickshire 30 24 19 18 26 18 27 23 30 32 
			 West Mercia 38 28 33 45 41 62 82 99 100 100 
			 West Midlands 151 137 204 318 343 327 357 319 383 392 
			 West Yorkshire 38 56 57 87 103 108 172 168 172 190 
			 Wiltshire 35 32 28 36 37 40 50 53 70 48 
			 Dyfed-Powys 23 29 27 31 35 36 39 45 29 35 
			 Gwent 18 20 21 20 33 23 48 36 56 66 
			 North Wales 55 60 42 51 74 61 67 77 113 89 
			 South Wales 98 101 83 94 114 111 124 120 153 140 
			
			 Total 3,805 3,548 3,531 4,361 5,338 5,396 5,890 6,005 6,369 6,169 
			 (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit—Office for Criminal Justice Reform

Police: Pensions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will estimate the average first year retirement pension payment of a police officer retiring after 30 years service in each of the principal ranks of the police service in 2009;
	(2)  how many retired police officers are aged  (a) less than 50,  (b) between 50 and 55,  (c) between 56 and 60,  (d) between 61 and 65 and  (e) over 65 years old;
	(3)  what the average value of pension payments to retired police officers aged  (a) under 50,  (b) from 51 to 55,  (c) from 56 to 60,  (d) from 61 to 65 and  (e) more than 65 years old was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(4)  what the cost of payments made to police pensioners  (a) under 50,  (b) between 51 and 55,  (c) between 56 and 60,  (d) between 61 and 65 and  (e) aged 65 and more was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Alan Johnson: Information on the average first-year police pension is not held centrally and data on the accrued pension rights of retiring officers by rank are not currently included in the valuation data held on the police pension schemes by the Government Actuary's Department. Therefore it is possible to give only a broad estimate of the average annual pension payment based on the salary scale for each main rank. The following information is based on the pay scales currently in place (since 1 September 2008, effective until 31 August 2009).
	
		
			  £ 
			   Rank assumed average final salary  Estimated average pension 
			 Constable 34,707 17,354 
			 Sergeant 37,098 18,549 
			 Inspector 46,977 23,489 
			 Chief Inspector 50,211 25,106 
			 Superintendent 64,095 32,048 
			 Chief Superintendent 72,717 36,359 
			 Assistant Chief Constable/Commander 94,851 47,426 
		
	
	For the rank of constable, it is assumed that a retiring officer is at the top of the pay range. For other ranks, the middle of the pay range is used. It is also assumed that the retiring officer will elect to commute the maximum amount of pension allowable in order to receive a lump sum payment on retirement, as the majority of retiring officers do elect to receive a lump sum. This would mean the officer's first-year pension payment would be 50 per cent. of his or her final salary. Given that the factors for calculating the commutation of a lump sum payment are based on the age of each officer, it is not possible to estimate an average amount for a lump sum payment.
	The salary level of an officer of rank deputy chief constable (deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan police) and above depends on the police force in which the officer serves. In the light of this, and the relatively small number of senior officers, estimating an average pension payment for these ranks would not provide an accurate reflection of the situation on retirement of an officer and could be misleading.
	From the valuation data on the police pension scheme held by the Government Actuary's Department, as at 31 March 2008 the total number of retired police officer pensioners, split by age, is broadly as follows (figures are rounded to the nearest 100)
	
		
			  Group  Number 
			 Less than age 50 9,300 
			 Between age 50 and 55 19,800 
			 Between age 56 and 60 19,000 
			 Between age 61 and 65 18,300 
			 Over age 66 34,800 
		
	
	Information on the cost and value of police pensions broken down into different age groups is not held centrally.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Public Safety: Dissident Terrorists

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the level of threat to public safety in Northern Ireland from the activities of dissident terrorists.

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the level of threat to public safety in Northern Ireland from the activities of dissident terrorists.

Shaun Woodward: While no one should underestimate the capacity of these individuals to cause serious harm, it is even more the case today than a year ago that the people of Northern Ireland will not allow them to succeed.

Decommissioning: Loyalist Paramilitaries

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent reports he has received on decommissioning of weapons by Loyalist paramilitaries; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning has recently confirmed to me that it has witnessed a major decommissioning event by the Ulster Volunteer Force and Red Hand Commando, and that they have been advised that this includes all the arms under their control. I am pleased with this significant act of leadership by those who have been persuaded that democracy is the only way forward.
	The IICD has also confirmed that it has witnessed a decommissioning event by the Ulster Defence Association, which represents a significant move. I encourage them to continue their engagement with the IICD and complete decommissioning as soon as possible.

Serving Police Officers

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many serving police officers there were in Northern Ireland on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: On the 1 July 2009 there were 7,274 regular officers including 163 student officers. There are also 472 full-time reserve officers and 739 part-time reserve officers in Northern Ireland. The current composition is based on Patten's recommendation of a force strength of 7,500 regular officers.

Romanian Nationals: Attacks

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports he has received on the recent incidents of attacks on Romanian nationals in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) and the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge).

Departmental Information Officers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to his Department of employing press office staff other than press officers has been in each year since 1997.

Shaun Woodward: The following table shows the cost to the Northern Ireland Office, including the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland and excluding its agencies and NDPBs, of employing press office staff other than press officers in each year since 1999 to 2000.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total (£) 
			 1999-2000 413,753.13 
			 2000-01 446,494.02 
			 2001-02 452,404.98 
			 2002-03 473,532.04 
			 2003-04 502,576.39 
			 2004-05 508,937.23 
			 2005-06 567,582.21 
			 2006-07 550,152.19 
			 2007-08 510,555.08 
			 2008-09 491,404.49 
		
	
	Financial records are not available for the years before 1999 to 2000.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the peace process on levels of public expenditure in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: Devolution in Northern Ireland is delivering widespread benefits to all the people of Northern Ireland and is underpinned by strong public services. The Government's public spending plans in Northern Ireland are set out in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2009 (Cm 7630).

Smuggling: Fuels

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent estimate he has made of the level of fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: Latest HMRC figures indicate that the amount of fuel used, but not sourced in Northern Ireland, is reducing. However, we are not complacent and in the past year we have seized over 800,000 litres of illegal fuel.

TRANSPORT

A1: Speed Limits

Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport for what reasons a 40mph speed limit has been imposed on the A1(M) motorway in the vicinity of junction 4 where roadworks are taking place; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mole: A 40 mph speed limit has been introduced on the A1(M) in the vicinity of junction 4 to allow for major refurbishment on the Hatfield Tunnel to be undertaken.
	The works started in June and will continue until April 2011.
	The 40 mph temporary speed limit is in place for driver and work force safety in accordance with the requirements of Traffic Signs Manual chapter 8 road works and temporary situations.

Aviation: Caribbean

Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many  (a) flights and  (b) passengers travelled from the UK to destinations in the Caribbean in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: The following table shows the number of flights and passengers who departed from UK airports to destinations in the Caribbean in each of the last five years.
	
		
			  Flights and passengers from UK airports to destinations in the Caribbean, 2004-08 
			  Thousand 
			   Flights  Passengers 
			 2004 3.9 947 
			 2005 3.9 914 
			 2006 4.1 951 
			 2007 4.0 974 
			 2008 3.8 974 
			  Source: Department for Transport analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data. 
		
	
	Total passenger flows between UK airports and individual countries are published on the CAA website in table 12.1 at the following link:
	http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=80&pagetype=88&pageid=3&sglid=3

Driving Under Influence: Death

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many and what percentage of road deaths involved at least one driver with a blood alcohol level in excess of the legal limit in each year since 1980.

Paul Clark: The estimated numbers and the percentages of all road deaths in accidents involving at least one driver over the legal alcohol limit in each year since 1980 to 2007 are given in the table. Provisional 2008 data will be available on 6 August 2009.
	A drink drive accident is defined as being an incident on a public road in which someone is killed or injured and where one or more of the motor vehicle drivers or riders involved either refused to give a breath test specimen when requested to do so by the police (other than when incapable of doing so for medical reasons), or one of the following:
	(i) failed a roadside breath test by registering over 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
	(ii) died and was subsequently found to have more than 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
	However, not all drink drive accidents are detected in this way, as there are some drivers involved for whom neither of the above test results are available, even though they were over the legal limit. The Department for Transport's statistics therefore are adjusted to allow for this in order to produce a better estimate of the number of drink drive accidents and casualties. See in article 3 of "Road Casualties Great Britain—annual report 2007" published on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/accidents/casualtiesgbar/roadcasualtiesgreatbritain20071
	Copies of the report have been deposited in the Libraries of the House.
	
		
			  Estimated number of fatalities involving at least one driver ove r the legal alcohol limit: 1980 to  2007 
			   Fatalities involving at least one driver over legal alcohol limit  All fatalities in reported personal injury accidents  Percentage of fatalities involving at least one driver over legal alcohol limit of all fallibilities 
			 1980 1,450 6,010 24 
			 1981 1,420 5,846 24 
			 1982 1,550 5,937 26 
			 1983 1,110 5,445 20 
			 1984 1,170 5,599 21 
			 1985 1,040 5,165 20 
			 1986 990 5,385 18 
			 1987 900 5,125 18 
			 1988 790 5,052 16 
			 1989 810 5,373 15 
			 1990 760 5,217 15 
			 1991 660 4,568 14 
			 1992 660 4,229 16 
			 1993 540 3,814 14 
			 1994 540 3,650 15 
			 1995 540 3,621 15 
			 1996 580 3,598 16 
			 1997 550 3,599 15 
			 1998 460 3,421 13 
			 1999 460 3,423 13 
			 2000 530 3,409 16 
			 2001 530 3,450 15 
			 2002 550 3,431 16 
			 2003 580 3,508 17 
			 2004 580 3,221 18 
			 2005 550 3,201 17 
			 2006 560 3,172 18 
			 2007(1) 460 2,946 16 
			 (1) Provisional data. The 2007 estimates are based on a reduced sample of coroners' returns and may be biased. They remain provisional until more complete information for 2007 is available.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Manpower

Julian Brazier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many  (a) surveyors,  (b) Coastguard Control Centre staff,  (c) administrative staff and  (d) human resources staff the Maritime and Coastguard Agency employed in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Clark: The number of staff employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), broken down into the categories asked, since 2002 is shown in the following table. The MCA's systems only hold records back to 2002:
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Surveyors 173 177 188 194 190 192 181 
			 Coastguard Control Centre 537 515 531 545 534 468 438 
			 Administrative 386 411 423 473 467 536 485 
			 Human Resources 47 55 50 57 58 58 54 
		
	
	Administrative staff includes, for example, senior managers and policy leads as well as administrators.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Manpower

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Maritime and Coastguard Agency office in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: The number of directors at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been three from August 2008. Prior to that, in each of the last five years, the number of directors was five.
	The information for  (b) to  (d) is not available in the format requested.

Motorcycles: Testing

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the safety for riders of the swerve manoeuvre in the motorcycle test; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency is keeping the hazard avoidance manoeuvre under review as part of its monitoring process.
	As of mid June 2009, there had been over 9,000 off-road Module 1 tests conducted, and 33 incidents, including non-injury incidents—an incident rate of 0.4 per cent.

Railway Network

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many miles of track have been added to the rail network in the last five years; and how much has been spent on improving and upgrading the rail network in that period.

Chris Mole: 24 miles of new two track high speed railway were built by London and Continental Railways for section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link completed in 2007. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link was constructed as a public private partnership project with a 90-year concession and is not the direct responsibility of Network Rail.
	Otherwise, the amount of railway built each year is an operational matter for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. My hon. Friend should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his question.
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London N1 9AG
	Spending on rail infrastructure is primarily the responsibility of Network Rail. Historical spending by the company is contained in the company's annual reports and accounts, which can be found on the Network Rail website at
	www.networkrail.co.uk
	Government spending on the railway in the past five years is set out in National Rail Trends which is published by the Office of Rail Regulation at
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.2026
	A copy is available in the Library of the House.

Railways

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many rail journeys were made by passengers in each of the last five years.

Chris Mole: Rail passenger journeys in the past five years are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Passenger journeys, Great Britain, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			   Passenger journeys (million) 
			 2003-04 1,012 
			 2004-05 1,045 
			 2005-06 1,082 
			 2006-07 1,151 
			 2007-08 1,232 
			  Source: The Office of Rail Regulation

Railways: Fares

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he plans to issue the fares direction to train operating companies on the use of Oyster cards for national rail services in London.

Chris Mole: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 25 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1078-79W.

Railways: Franchises

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when the inclusion in rail franchise contracts of revenue support clauses was last reviewed; and when he next plans to review the inclusion of such clauses in those contracts.

Chris Mole: The revenue share and revenue support clauses are part of the template franchise agreement and National Rail Franchise Terms that the Department for Transport has used as the basis of all recent franchise competitions. The National Rail Franchise Terms were reviewed in preparation for the last franchise competition, South Central, although no substantive changes were made to these clauses at that time. We will assess such clauses again in the course of our preparations for future franchise competitions.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the savings to the public purse likely to result from the closure of the Oldham Loop Line in Greater Manchester in October 2009.

Chris Mole: holding answer 1 July 2009
	The Department for Transport is currently calculating changes to the subsidy payments to Northern Rail in line with the Franchise Agreement. Any savings arising were taken into account in the development of the Metrolink business case.
	The Department will be contributing £244.3 million towards the expansion of Metrolink to Oldham, Rochdale and Chorlton.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department is taking to relieve congestion on rail routes in Greater Manchester.

Chris Mole: holding answer 1 July 2009
	The Government are currently in discussions with relevant train operators on measures to increase peak-hour train capacity for commuters into Manchester by 2014. It is also working with Network Rail in its "Manchester Hub" study, to identify options for increasing rail capacity from 2014 onwards.

Rolling Stock: Greater Manchester

Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department will provide funding for the retention of rolling stock following the closure of the Oldham Loop Line in Greater Manchester in October 2009.

Chris Mole: holding answer 1 July 2009
	The Department for Transport is not planning to provide additional funding for the redeployment of the rolling stock displaced through the conversion of the Oldham Loop from heavy rail to Manchester Metrolink light rail. However, the rolling stock may be redeployed either commercially, through support from the passenger transport executive or through the High Level Output Specification Programme.

Shipping

Julian Brazier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many vessels were  (a) surveyed and  (b) certified by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Clark: The number of vessels surveyed and certified by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each of the last 10 financial years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of vessels surveyed and certificated 
			 2008 2,452 
			 2007 2,385 
			 2006 2,479 
			 2005 2,452 
			 2004 2,449 
			 2003 2,306 
			 2002 2,279 
			 2001 2,178 
			 2000 2,106 
			 1999 1,979 
		
	
	All surveys resulted in the issue of some form of certification.

Shipping

Julian Brazier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much was paid in compensation to owners of  (a) fishing vessels and  (b) other commercial vessels by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in respect of errors of judgment during certification surveys in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: An ex-gratia payment of £550,000 was made in 2004 in relation to a fishing vessel. No other payments have been made since 2004.

Shipping: Safety

Julian Brazier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the removal of distress flares and other pyrotechnic devices from vessels registered under the UK flag.

Paul Clark: No discussions have taken place recently between officials in the Department for Transport and its executive agencies about the removal of distress flares and other pyrotechnic devices from vessels registered under the UK flag.
	Requirements to carry flares on UK ships are regulated by The Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances For Ships Other Than Ships Of Classes III To VI(A)) Regulations 1999, which enact the UK's international obligations under SOLAS Chapter III.
	Marine Guidance Note 287 advises UK ship operators on the disposal of out of date pyrotechnics.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Sequestration

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his statement on 23 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 382-84, on coal carbon capture and storage, what assessment he has made of the effect on his Department's carbon capture and storage (CCS) competition of the additional CCS demonstration projects.

David Kidney: The proposals announced on 23 April 2009 are intended to complement the current CCS demonstration competition and therefore the competition will proceed as set out in the Budget statement.

Departmental Data Protection

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been (i) disciplined and (ii) dismissed for (A) breaches of data protection requirements and (B) inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework and the Data Handling Report produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
	DECC can confirm that no officials have been disciplined or dismissed for breaches of data protection requirements or inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data in the last 12 months.
	If staff are found to have been responsible for a serious breach of data security procedures, dependent upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions are available including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.
	DECC operate within the following Cabinet Office frameworks in respect of data security:
	Mandatory requirement 12 of the HMG Security Policy Framework, published in December 2008 states that Departments and Agencies must provide all staff with guidance on the Data Protection Act and other legislation which affects their role. Reference:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/spf/mandatory_requirements/mrl2.aspx
	Mandatory requirements 31 to 49 of the HMG Security Policy Framework published in December 2008 includes measures that Departments must put in place in relation to information security and assurance. Reference:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/spf7sp4_isa.aspx

Departmental Public Consultation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many public consultations his Department has conducted since its creation; what the title of each was; how many responses were received to each; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each.

Joan Ruddock: In line with the code of practice on consultation, the Department of Energy and Climate Change publishes all its consultation documents on its website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/consultations.aspx
	The number of responses received for individual consultations is recorded in the Government response documents. These are published on the departmental website alongside the consultations themselves.
	The total cost incurred for each consultation: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Energy: Meters

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  when he expects the programme to install smart meters in households to begin;
	(2)  whether his Department plans to bring forward legislation to limit the percentage of the cost of smart meters that can be passed on to consumers; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: Last year the Government announced their intention to mandate smart metering for all households, with an indicative timetable for completion of the roll-out by the end of 2020.
	We are currently consulting on our approach to key aspects of the roll-out of smart meters. Our final decisions will be followed by the detailed work required to prepare for the roll-out. As part of this work, a wide range of policy, technical and operational issues will need to be addressed. These will include the start-date for roll-out and determination of appropriate regulatory frameworks.

Energy: Meters

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether customers who subscribe to a pre-payment tariff for smart metering will be charged more than those who do not; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: A substantial programme of work must be completed before the roll-out of smart meters begins. As part of this, a wide range of policy and operational issues needs to be addressed to maximise the benefits that all consumers can obtain from smart metering.
	There is currently a price differential between prepayment and standard credit meters because of the additional costs of prepayment meters and the infrastructure required to support them. It is anticipated that these costs will be reduced by smart metering.

Energy: Meters

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what provision exists for customers who already have a smart meter to change their energy provider prior to the national roll-out of smart meters; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether any mechanism exists for energy companies to provide smart meters to customers who request one prior to their becoming available nationally; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: The provision of smart meters ahead of a Government-mandated roll-out is a matter for energy suppliers and their customers. Suppliers are obliged to measure gas and electricity through an approved meter, but there is no obligation to provide a smart meter.
	Customers with existing smart meters will continue to be able to switch energy provider, however the metering services provided by the new supplier may be different.

Energy: Prices

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to ensure that energy tariffs are the same before account is taken of administration costs for customers who pre-pay and those who pay quarterly bills.

David Kidney: The Government believe that differences in charges relating to the method of payment should reflect the costs of servicing that method, and should not discriminate unfairly against any group of customers. Therefore, we strongly support the regulator Ofgem's work putting in place rules to ensure that prices paid by consumers are cost reflective.

Energy: Prices

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects Ofgem to publish its final report on its Energy Supply Probe.

David Kidney: Ofgem's initial probe report identified a number of areas where action was required and proposed a range of remedies.
	Ofgem published its decision document on new licence conditions to prohibit undue discrimination and ensure payment methods are cost reflective on 26 June. Subject to responses, the new licence conditions should be introduced in August.
	Ofgem aims to proceed to Statutory Consultation on the final package of its Energy Supply Probe remedies, including better consumer information and improved protection for small businesses, towards the end of this month and to have the new measures in licences ahead of the coming winter.

Energy: Prices

Celia Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made in ensuring that those with pre-payment meters for energy supplies are not overcharged.

David Kidney: The Government believe that differences in charges relating to the method of payment should reflect no more than the costs of servicing that method, and should not discriminate unfairly against any group of customers. Therefore, we strongly support the regulator Ofgem's work putting in place rules to give effect to this approach.
	Following a consultation on their proposals Ofgem published its decision to implement a licence condition change requiring cost reflective payment methods on 26 June. Ofgem intend that this change will be in place by August 2009. This decision can be found online at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Markets/RetMkts/ensuppro/Documentsl/Addressing%20Undue%20Discrimination.pdf

Fossil Fuelled Power Stations: Planning Permission

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the merits of including an emissions performance standard in the criteria for securing planning permission for new fossil fuel power plants.

Joan Ruddock: The Government are considering the merits of emissions performance standards as part of its current consultation into the development of clean coal. A statement of the Government's position on emissions performance standards will be given in its response to the consultation.

Sizewell A Power Station

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on (a) the causes of the coolant leak at Sizewell A discovered on 7 June 2007 and  (b) when it is understood the leak occurred.

David Kidney: The Department is not aware of a coolant leak which occurred at Sizewell A on 7 June 2007. It is assumed the question refers to the Sizewell A pond leakage event which was identified on 7 January 2007.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) lead on the investigation in this case and they have informed my Department that the cause of the leak was a vertical longitudinal split in a section of 8 inch diameter plastic pipe in the cooling pond recirculation system. The alarm was raised at 11:30 hours on Sunday 7 January 2007. HSE's initial assessment is that due to the nature of the split in the pipe the breach is most likely to have happened suddenly and only a short time (no more than a few hours) before the alarm was raised.

Sizewell A Power Station

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the Government has received any requests for additional resources from  (a) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and  (b) the Environment Agency as a result of the discovery of a coolant leak at Sizewell A on 7 June 2007.

Joan Ruddock: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the coolant leak at Sizewell A on 7 January 2007 as I am not aware of a coolant leak at the site on 7 June 2007.
	Neither the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate nor the Environment Agency made a request to Government for additional resource as a result of the Sizewell A coolant leak event of 7 January 2007.

Solar Power: Housing

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much grant funding his Department provided for the installation of solar photovoltaic technology in domestic dwellings in each of the last five years; and what budget is available for these purposes in 2009-10.

David Kidney: Since 2001 the Government have committed over 41 million to the development of solar PV in the UK through grant programmes and field trials. Currently solar PV has benefited significantly under the Low Carbon Buildings (LCBP) programme with an original budget of 86 million. The Government have committed a further 45 million to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in the recent Budget. This now brings support for the programme to over 130 million.
	
		
			  Low carbon buildings programme phase 1 
			  Householder stream 
			  Year application received  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Number of grants committed 365 325 669 481 
			 Value of grants committed () 2,748,292.47 1,415,543.89 1,597,069.11 1,154,418.80 
		
	
	
		
			  Householder stream 
			  Year grant paid  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Number of grants paid 87 506 504 436 
			 Value of grants offered () 613,675.52 3,224,486.78 1,226,030.39 1,048,257.10 
		
	
	
		
			  LCBP communities, 2A and 2B streams relating to residential developments 
			  Combined total across other streams 
			  Year application received  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Number of grants committed 2 12   
			 Value of PV grant committed/paid amount () 83,246.00 1,009,483.89   
		
	
	
		
			  Combined total across other streams 
			  Year paid  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Number of grants paid   3 2 
			 Value of PV grants paid ()   68,919.00 89,829.85

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Buckinghamshire

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department allocated to the development of agricultural businesses in  (a) Milton Keynes and  (b) Buckinghamshire in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Data on total spend are not available at constituency or county level. The table gives, by financial year, funding allocated to the development of agricultural businesses in the South East region. These figures include payments made under rural development programmes, which includes agri-environment payments, and payments made directly to agricultural businesses by the South East of England Development Agency.
	
		
			   Total () 
			 2004-05 4,966,000 
			 2005-06 6,166,000 
			 2006-07 5,437,000 
			 2007-08 4,972,000 
			 2008-09 5,793,000 
			 Grand total (1)27,334,000 
			 (1) Source: DEFRA, Natural England, South East England Development Agency. Figures rounded up or down to the nearest thousand.

Agriculture: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department allocated to the development of agricultural business in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) Dacorum and  (c) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table gives, by financial year, funding allocated to the development of agricultural businesses in the East of England region from 2004-05 onwards(1). Total figures are not available at county or constituency level. These figures include payments made under Rural Development Programmes, including agri-environment payments, and payments made directly to agricultural businesses by the East of England Development Agency.
	(1) Figures obtained from DEFRA, East of England Development Agency and Natural England.
	
		
			   Total () 
			 2004-05 29,093,000 
			 2005-06 33,101,000 
			 2006-07 42,613,000 
			 2007-08 51,088,000 
			 2008-09 56,428,000 
			 Grand total 212,323,000

Animals: Abuse

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many individuals were prosecuted for neglect of animals resulting from leaving animals in confined and hot spaces for a prolonged period in each of the last two years; and what average fine was issued for those convicted in such cases.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It is not possible to separately identify the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at all courts in England and Wales for neglect of animals left in confined and hot spaces for a prolonged period(1).
	(1 )From data held by the Ministry of Justice.

Animals: Quarantine

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animal quarantine centres are in operation in the UK.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In England, Scotland and Wales there are currently 29 authorised quarantine premises for domestic (i.e. pet) animals. Quarantine premises in Northern Ireland are licensed by DARDNI (the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland).
	Zoos and research establishments have not been included as the number of these establishments (which do not offer rabies quarantine for pets belonging to members of the public) that are approved can change frequently and are authorised only when required.

Avian Influenza: Poultry

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of links between stocking densities of broiler chickens and the incidence of avian influenza.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The management of animal disease risks forms part of sustainable livestock production. There is a variety of different livestock production systems and each present different animal disease challenges. More intensive systems in which the animals are housed provide greater opportunities for preventing disease entering a herd or flock but higher stocking densities mean that disease, once it gains entry to a farm, may spread more rapidly. Good husbandry and management will help reduce the risk of entry but this risk cannot be eliminated. Sometimes disease will occur. This can happen in both intensive and extensive systems.
	The risk of influenza has not been shown to be greater in either, although experience has shown that close contact between animals and man is an important factor in possible transmission to man.
	Further, there is no evidence of a correlation between intensive farming and the frequency of influenza pandemics. Indeed, the frequency of influenza pandemics has not changed despite the intensification of livestock production in developed countries since the 1950s.

Avian Influenza: Vaccination

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether birds other than those in zoos may be vaccinated in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We would not vaccinate poultry in advance of an avian influenza outbreak, nor would we use the vaccine as an immediate disease control response, due to the limitations of the vaccines. Early reporting, rapid action, biosecurity, culling and surveillance remain the most effective ways of protecting against and controlling an avian influenza outbreak.
	We keep our policy on vaccination under review in the light of scientific developments in vaccines. Vaccination also forms part of our contingency planning in view of potential uncertainties in the nature and spread of the virus. However, preventive vaccination of poultry is not the most effective defence against avian influenza, because currently available vaccines have a number of disadvantages.
	With some limited exceptions, it is against the law to import, possess or administer avian influenza vaccine without authorisation from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bees

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on funding for research into the problems affecting the honey bee.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA has received approximately 13 parliamentary questions, 34 letters from MPs and 123 other pieces of correspondence in the last three months on the subject of honey bee health, including funding for research. There was an MP debate about bee health organised by Dr. Ian Gibson, former Labour MP for Norwich North, on 29 April, and a House of Lords Debate about the effect of disease on the British bee population, moved by Lord Moynihan on 21 May.
	DEFRA has recently provided increased funding to bee health. 2.5 million is being made available over the next five years to the insect pollinator initiative on pollinator decline. In addition, 2.3 million will be provided to the Food and Environment Research Agency's National Bee Unit over the next two years to implement the first stage of the healthy bees plan.

Carbon Emissions

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of the UK's  (a) greenhouse gas,  (b) methane and  (c) nitrous oxide emission which derive from (i) agriculture and (ii) forestry.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 7 July 2009
	According to the UK greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventory: 1990-2006 report, GHG emissions from agriculture in 2006 were 44.71 Mt CO2e which was 7 per cent. of total UK emissions. Emissions for which agriculture was responsible are as follows:
	18.7 Mt CO2e of methane (CH4) emissions which was 38.0 per cent. of the UK's CH4 emissions, mainly from the digestive systems of livestock and from manure and;
	25.7 Mt CO2e of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions which was 67.4 per cent. of the total UK N2O emissions, mainly from the use of nitrogen fertiliser.
	Forestry is recorded in the UK GHG inventory as part of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector which contains both sources and sinks of GHGs. In 2006, the UK GHG inventory reported the following sources and sinks for the forestry sector:
	A net removal of 14.7 Mt CO2, resulting from the growth of existing forests, and results of afforestation, but also accounting for emissions associated with deforestation (a removal, but in magnitude equivalent to 3 per cent. of UK CO2 emissions);
	A source of 0.0029 Mt CO2e CH4 from wildfires and biomass burning (less than 0.1 per cent. of UK CH4 emissions);
	A source of 0.0043 Mt CO2e N2O emissions from forest wildfires, biomass burning and nitrogen fertilisation of forest land (less than 0.01 per cent. of UK N2O emissions).

Dairy Farmers of Britain: Insolvency

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will hold an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the failure of Dairy Farmers of Britain, with particular reference to  (a) the role of the banks,  (b) when the receivers were brought in and  (c) the expected financial effect on dairy farming.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFoB) is registered by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965. The FSA, in its capacity as registering authority, is working closely with the Receivers, who will be examining the reasons for the failure of DFoB and publishing their findings in a report to all creditors.
	The Industrial and Provident Societies Act provides the FSA with only limited powers of investigation, and these are linked to its obligation to be satisfied that a society qualifies for registration under the Act.
	The ReceiversPricewaterhouseCoopers were called in on 3 June. They have estimated the total financial costs to DFoB members to be around 83 million.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures.

Dan Norris: DEFRA became responsible for implementing energy efficiency measures throughout the DEFRA in 2006. Since that date expenditure on energy efficiency measures is as shown in the table (DEFRA Estates does not hold information for the period 2004-06).
	
		
			  Investment in energy efficiency 
			
			 2006-07 244,272 
			 2007-08 1,187,697 
			 2008-09 2,369,134 
		
	
	These data do not include expenditure on energy efficiency measures in new builds and refurbishments as sustainable technologies and energy efficiency measures are inherent in the overall programme and costs.
	The measures implemented by DEFRA Estates resulted in achievement of the Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme (EEAS) in 2007 and the Carbon Trust Standard in 2008, both of which are independently assessed and confirm increased energy efficiency and a reduction in carbon emissions.
	DEFRA has already met the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) Target for reducing carbon emissions from offices and the continued programme of spend on efficiency measures will ensure that the Department is in the best possible position when Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) begins in 2012. In addition, a Sustainable Built Environment Workplace Support (SBEWS) delivery partnership with Interserve plc which spans a 15-year period will deliver significant efficiencies, not just in energy but across the entire range of SOGE targets.

Departmental Information Officers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department of press office staff other than press officers has been in each year since 1997.

Dan Norris: The requested information cannot be provided due to disproportionate costs.

Dogs: Tagging

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will undertake research into the effect of dog microchipping schemes on  (a) levels of crime and  (b) perceptions of crime.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no plans to assess the effect of dog microchipping schemes on levels of  (a) crime and  (b) perception of crime.

Domestic Waste Disposal

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 1279-82W, on domestic waste: waste disposal, what records the Waste and Resources Action Programme holds on the frequency of the collection of household residual waste in each of the new unitary councils.

Dan Norris: The Waste and Resources Action Programme's (WRAP) records on the frequency of collection arrangements have not been updated since the local government reorganisation in April 2009. However, WRAP'S understanding is that these arrangements are still continuing exactly as they did before the local government reorganisation took place.

Farmers: Manpower

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) dairy,  (b) arable,  (c) beef and  (d) sheep farmers there are in each English county.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of farmers on dairy, arable, beef and sheep holdings in June 2008 (the latest data available) are shown in the following table. The type of farm is determined by the predominant agricultural activity taking place on the holding, using data from the annual June Survey of Agriculture. Beef and sheep farms are not categorised separately.
	The number of farmers on mixed holdings are also shown as these are holdings with both livestock and crops but where neither activity dominates.
	
		
			  Number of farmers by predominant farm type 
			   (a) Dairy farmers  (b) Arable farmers  (c) and (d) Beef and sheep farmers  (e) Mixed farmers 
			   Dairy  Cereals  General cropping  Grazing livestock (LFA)  Grazing livestock (lowland)  Mixed 
			 Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees 17 147 (1) 0 58 22 
			 South Teesside 29 75 (1) 29 28 44 
			 Darlington 18 129 24 0 53 46 
			 Durham CC 133 534 37 1,078 458 234 
			 Northumberland 89 711 75 1,333 430 367 
			 Tyneside (1) 85 (1) 18 43 36 
			 Sunderland 0 35 0 0 10 (1) 
			 West Cumbria 771 118 32 760 768 215 
			 East Cumbria 1,402 175 40 2,608 1,093 348 
			 Halton and Warrington 24 89 55 0 35 25 
			 Cheshire CC 1,337 392 252 263 1,405 288 
			 Greater Manchester South 35 30 21 106 74 18 
			 Greater Manchester North 127 115 24 335 149 54 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 24 0 (1) 113 19 11 
			 Blackpool 0 0 0 0  0 
			 Lancashire CC 1,388 184 494 1,548 1,149 314 
			 East Merseyside 0 103 45 0 27 11 
			 Liverpool 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 
			 Sefton 0 19 32 0 25 (1) 
			 Wirral 22 15 10 0 33 11 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 0 (1) (1) 0 0 0 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 70 1,329 671 0 431 331 
			 North and North East Lincolnshire 10 413 195 0 144 70 
			 York 20 149 76 0 84 40 
			 North Yorkshire CC 1,364 2,320 845 2,816 1,898 1,208 
			 Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham 115 605 98 102 239 131 
			 Sheffield 42 21 (1) 157 36 18 
			 Bradford 83 (1) 0 435 78 38 
			 Leeds 34 133 57 56 131 45 
			 Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield 173 221 55 932 167 163 
			 Derby 0 (1) 0 0 12 (1) 
			 East Derbyshire 104 205 45 126 194 123 
			 South and West Derbyshire 791 318 81 1,257 654 260 
			 Nottingham 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 
			 North Nottinghamshire 60 607 230 0 287 162 
			 South Nottinghamshire 34 278 61 0 164 82 
			 Leicester 0 (1) (1) 0 (1) 0 
			 Leicestershire CC and Rutland 340 1,080 96 0 1,110 333 
			 Northamptonshire 59 1,107 65 0 862 247 
			 Lincolnshire 100 2,688 1,513 0 776 422 
			 Herefordshire, County of 218 544 492 511 1,431 642 
			 Worcestershire 181 574 304 0 1,290 338 
			 Warwickshire 139 925 127 0 1,005 337 
			 Telford and Wrekin 42 73 69 0 101 32 
			 Shropshire CC 997 837 347 915 1,763 785 
			 Stoke-on-Trent (1) (1) 0 0 43 (1) 
			 Staffordshire CC 1,343 545 258 1,064 1,269 356 
			 Birmingham (1) 23 (1) 0 6 0 
			 Solihull 11 54 (1) 0 74 28 
			 Coventry (1) 12 (1) 0 27 11 
			 Dudley and Sandwell (1) 0 (1) 0 14 7 
			 Walsall and Wolverhampton (1) (1) 18 0 16 (1) 
			 Peterborough (1) 131 72 0 20 (1) 
			 Cambridgeshire CC 14 1,502 849 0 311 118 
			 Norfolk 95 1,404 1,858 0 862 507 
			 Suffolk 85 1,827 737 0 660 356 
			 Luton 0 (1) 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Bedfordshire CC 25 729 93 0 225 79 
			 Hertfordshire 29 646 20 0 278 67 
			 Southend-on-Sea 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 
			 Thurrock 0 24 (1) 0 35 (1) 
			 Essex CC 31 1,797 289 0 508 257 
			 Inner Londonwest 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 
			 Inner Londoneast 0 0 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Outer Londoneast and north-east 0 30 17 0 19 (1) 
			 Outer Londonsouth 0 20 5 0 20 8 
			 Outer Londonwest and north-west (1) (1) (1) 0 20 14 
			 Berkshire 26 242 28 0 263 73 
			 Milton Keynes 13 112  0 63 12 
			 Buckinghamshire CC 114 462 34 0 697 249 
			 Oxfordshire 102 951 84 0 700 278 
			 Brighton and Hove (1) (1) (1) 0 8 (1) 
			 East Sussex CC 114 342 81 0 1,263 274 
			 Surrey 73 129 24 0 644 82 
			 West Sussex 111 419 107 0 720 197 
			 Portsmouth 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 
			 Southampton (1) (1) (1) 0 (1) (1) 
			 Hampshire CC 190 793 112 0 1,260 313 
			 Isle of Wight 57 88 21 0 267 49 
			 Medway 0 18 20 0 28 (1) 
			 Kent CC 102 895 334 0 1,500 389 
			 Bristol, City of 0 (1) (1) 0 24 0 
			 N and NE Somerset, S Glos. 403 279 35 0 972 231 
			 Gloucestershire 432 748 88 0 1,699 413 
			 Swindon 24 65 (1) 0 50 15 
			 Wiltshire CC 506 871 73 0 1,244 293 
			 Bournemouth and Poole (1) 0 0 0 10 (1) 
			 Dorset CC 789 447 53 0 1,539 290 
			 Somerset 1,338 685 167 507 2,706 592 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 1,251 609 396 954 2,377 925 
			 Plymouth 0 (1) (1) 0 20 0 
			 Torbay (1) 0 0 0 27 19 
			 Devon CC 2,419 1,081 334 2,172 4,594 1,491 
			
			 England 20,122 35,402 12,843 20,194 45,827 15,915 
			 (1 )Suppressed to prevent disclosure of information about individual holdings.  Notes: 1.Farmers includes full- and part-time farmers, partners, directors and spouses if working on the holding. 2.The grazing livestock farm type categories also include a small number of holdings with farmed deer and goats.  Source: June Agricultural Survey

Grants: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many residents of Tamworth constituency have received funding from the  (a) Rural Enterprise,  (b) Processing and Marketing Grants and  (c) Vocational Training scheme in each year since the inception of each such scheme; and for what period such funding was allocated from each such scheme.

Dan Norris: The Rural Enterprise Scheme, the Processing and Marketing Grant and Vocational Training Scheme formed part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) which closed on 31 December 2006. The Programme covered the period 2000 to 2006. The following table provides the number of projects approved under these schemes in the West Midlands region during the life of the ERDP. Figures are not available at a constituency level. Figures for the actual number of trainees assisted under the Vocational Training Scheme are available only on a national (England) basis.
	
		
			   Calendar yea r  January to December 
			  Scheme  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  Total 
			 Processing marketing grant (PMG) 0 2 4 6 9 4 8 33 
			 Rural enterprise scheme (RES) 0 23 51 58 100 100 80 412 
			 Vocational training scheme (VTS) 0 5 5 5 19 13 11 58 
			 Total 0 30 60 69 128 117 99 503 
			  Source:  DEFRA.

Grocery Trade: Competition

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Competition Commission on its proposed grocery supply code of practice.

Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not discussed the proposed Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) with the Competition Commission.
	In its inquiry into the groceries market the Commission found that one of the features that adversely affected competition in the market was the exercise of buyer power by certain grocery retailers with respect to their suppliers of groceries, through the adoption of supply chain practices that transfer excessive risks and unexpected costs to those suppliers. The GSCOP is being introduced by the Competition Commission, which is an independent public body, in response to this finding.

Incinerators

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which individuals and organisations were invited to make submissions to the Environment Agency's H14 ecotoxicity consultation in 2007.

Dan Norris: The Environment Agency's consultation on H14 ecotoxicity was a public consultation to which any individual or organisation was welcome to respond. The consultation period started on 10 September 2007 and finished on 6 November 2007.
	I am arranging to have placed in the Library of the House the responses to the consultation on H14 ecotoxicity.

Pesticides Safety Directorate: Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Pesticides Safety Directorate spent on external consultants in each of the last five years.

Dan Norris: External consultancy spend in each of the last five financial years for the Pesticides Safety Directorate was as follows:
	
		
			   Spend activity  Amount (000) 
			 2008-09 IT security accreditation 27 
			  Specialist IT support 61 
			  Annual Report and Accounts (design and printing) 10 
			  Customer survey 10 
			  Other 2 
			 Total  110 
			
			 2007-08 Specialist IT support 30 
			  Annual Report and Accounts (design and printing) 10 
			  Staff survey and IIP review 6 
			  Other 2 
			 Total  48 
			
			 2006-07 Specialist IT support 11 
			  Annual Report and Accounts (design and printing) 10 
			  Support to EU twinning project 7 
			  Other 7 
			 Total  35 
			
			 2005-06 Specialist IT support 36 
			  Annual Report and Accounts (design and printing) 7 
			  Business development 30 
			  Recruit Director of Finance, IT and Corporate Services 9 
			  Other 10 
			 Total  92 
			
			 2004-05 Specialist IT support 63 
			  Annual Report and Accounts (design and printing) 12 
			  Staff survey 17 
			  Other 11 
			 Total  103

Property Searches

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the  (a) Information Commissioner's Office,  (b) Local Government Association and  (c) Department for Communities and Local Government on the classification of local authority property search data as environmental information; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: Officials in my Department have had discussions with all these bodies on the classification of local authority property search data as environmental information and these discussions are ongoing.
	We understand the Information Commissioner intends to issue further guidance shortly.

Recycling

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps in co-operation with local authorities to ensure that recycling initiatives facilitate the participation of older people in composting and re-use schemes.

Dan Norris: While decisions on the most suitable waste management solution for an area are best left to the local authority concerned, DEFRA has always advised waste collection authorities to be open-minded and understanding when considering particular residents' needs, and flexible in the solutions the authority offers. Many local authorities offer assisted collections to the elderly to ensure, among other things, that they are able to fully participate in recycling and reuse initiatives.

Recycling

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Government Office regions have regional recycling forums.

Dan Norris: Four of the Government Office Regions have dedicated Regional Recycling Forums: the North West, North East, London and the South East.

Regional Planning and Development: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department had provided to each regional improvement and efficiency partnership on the latest date for which information is available; and for what projects such funding was allocated.

Dan Norris: In 2008-09, DEFRA and the Department for Communities and Local Government provided 4 million to Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs) for the delivery of a Climate Change Best Practice Programme. Responsibility for this programme passed from DEFRA to the Department for Energy and Climate Change on its creation in October 2008.
	DEFRA provided a further 500,000 in 2008-09 and 2009-10 to support the RIEPs work on waste. The funding was paid to Improvement and Efficiency South East, which leads the RIEPs' national work in this area, to support local authorities develop partnership working on waste. This can help promote improvements to service delivery and realise efficiencies.

Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Manpower

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Veterinary Laboratories Agency office in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have placed in the House Library the tables providing information on staff numbers at each of the VLA's 16 locations over the last five years.

Voluntary Organisations

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what grants his Department made to third sector organisations in 2007-08; how much was paid; and what the purpose of each such grant was.

Dan Norris: DEFRA does not hold this information centrally. The Department's grant programmes are administered by a wide range of delivery bodies.
	To collect the information centrally would incur disproportionate cost.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the ROAME document produced for his Department's research project on impacts of household charging in England, WR0708.

Dan Norris: DEFRA does not create ROAME (Rationale, Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring, Evaluation) statements for individual research projects but the process is adopted to provide a clear statement of rationale for developing projects under particular evidence programmes. ROAME statements have been created for each of the themes (A-F) of DEFRA's Waste and Resources Evidence Strategy (2007-11). The project WR0708 falls under Theme A of this programme: Understanding Economics and Incentives. As requested, the ROAME statement for this part of the programme has been placed in the House Library.

Water Meters

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with Ofwat the introduction of a social tariff by water companies for low-income households which face higher costs from water metering.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Assistance is currently available to low income households that are metered through the Government's Vulnerable Groups Tariff, also known as WaterSure. This caps bills at the average bill for their water company if they receive means-tested benefits and suffer either from a medical condition which causes a substantial increase in the use of water or have three or more dependent children under 19 in full-time education. The independent Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services is looking at whether WaterSure should be revised.

Water Meters

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on low-income households of water metering.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The interim report of the independent Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services was published on 29 June. It includes analysis of the costs and benefits of metering and the affordability of water. The report is available on DEFRA's website.
	The final report is expected to be published in the autumn and the Government will provide a full response to this.

Water Meters

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the effect on low-income households of water metering.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Ministers have regular meetings with the Consumer Council for Water, which represents the interests of water customers. These include discussions around metering and affordability.
	The independent Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services received 78 responses to its call for evidence and held five stakeholder workshops. These included representations on metering and affordability.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Council Housing Waiting Lists

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the proposed duty of local authorities to tackle socio-economic disadvantage on their ability to give priority to housing applications from people who live in the area.

Michael Jabez Foster: The ability to attach priority to local connection will continue to be an important tool as local authorities use allocation policies to address socio-economic disadvantage.

Staff Survey

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer to Lord Ouseley of 18 May 2009,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column WA252, on Equality and Human Rights Commission, if she will place in the Library a copy of the results of the Commission's staff survey.

Michael Jabez Foster: A copy of the Equality and Human Rights Commission staff survey results has been placed in the Library of the House on their behalf.

CABINET OFFICE

Charities: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much funding has been allocated under the CapacityBuilders programme to charitable organisations active in each constituency in Essex in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: Capacitybuilders funding by constituency in Essex is as follows: Braintree: 325,037; Saffron Walden: 88,025; Rochford and Southend, East: 310,992; West Chelmsford: 125,880; Harwich: 3,000; Harlow: 2,000; Brentwood and Ongar: 2,000; Thurrock: 1,000. Please note that most funded projects will be providing benefit to a number of constituency areas. The variation in awards is due to the different types of funding programmes provided by Capacitybuilders. All allocations are subject to satisfactory verification of recipients' details. More information on the split between constituencies by grant programme is available as follows.
	
		
			  Programme  Constituency  Allocation () 
			 Consortium Development Grant Braintree 194,000 
			 Improving Reach Grant Saffron Walden 41,025 
			 Improving Reach Grant Rochford and Southend, East 308,992 
			 Consortium Modernisation Grant Braintree 64,607 
			 Consortium Modernisation Grant Braintree 62,430 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Braintree 4,000 
			 Social Enterprise Programme West Chelmsford 118,880 
			 Regional Network Fund Saffron Walden 45,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Rochford and Southend, East 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Harwich 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Harlow 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Harwich 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Brentwood and Ongar 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Rochford and Southend, East 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Brentwood and Ongar 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation fund Saffron Walden 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Saffron Walden 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation fund Harlow 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Thurrock 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund Harwich 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000 
			 Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund West Chelmsford 1,000

Intelligence Services: Information and Communications Technology

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who the project director of the SCOPE programme is; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: There is no project director for the SCOPE programme.

Lobbying

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she expects to respond to the First Report of the Public Administration Select Committee, Session 2008-09, on Lobbying: access and influence in Whitehall, HC 36.

Angela Smith: I refer my hon. Friend to the evidence I gave to the Public Administration Select Committee on 2 July 2009. I expect to be in a position to respond before the summer recess.

Managing Diversity

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 643-44W, on National School of Government, which public sector organisations sent representatives to the course held in Sunningdale Park in 2008.

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the National School of Government. I have asked the principal and chief executive to reply.
	 Letter from Rod Clark, dated July 2009:
	In the Written Ministerial Statement to the House on 9 January 2007 (Official Report Col 5WS), the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Pat McFadden MP) announced that the National School of Government was now a Non Ministerial Department. Consequently, the Minster for the Cabinet Office has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the National School of Government.
	The National School of Government's Managing Diversity five-day programme is for HR Practitioners and Diversity Officers from any organisation from all sectors. The 2008 course included one official from the following public authorities:
	Channel 4;
	University of Lincoln;
	Charity Commission;
	HM Prison Service;
	Victoria and Albert Museum;
	Suffolk Constabulary;
	Ministry of Justice; and
	two from the Department for Work and Pensions.

National School of Government

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the estimated running costs of the National School of Government are in 2009-10;
	(2)  how much funding the Government is providing to the National School of Government in 2009-10;
	(3)  how much the National School of Government received from each Government Department in payment for courses for their staff in each of the last three years.  [Official Report, 9 November 2009, Vol. 499, c. 1MC.]

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the National School of Government. I have asked the principal and chief executive to reply.
	 Letter from Rod Clark, dated July 2009:
	In the Written Ministerial Statement to the House on 9 January 2007 (Official Report Col 5WS), the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Pat McFadden MP) announced that the National School of Government was now a Non Ministerial Department. Consequently, the Minister for the Cabinet Office has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the National School of Government.
	The National School has running cost provision in the 2009-10 Main Parliamentary Estimates of 30,395,000 (PQ 283581).
	The National School recovers the large majority of its costs from charging for the learning and development and consultancy services that it provides and is expected to earn Appropriations-in-Aid of 30,000,000 in 2009-10. 395,000 net funding is provided to the National School via the Parliamentary Estimate (PQ 283582).
	The attached table shows the income that the National School received from government departments including agencies and other bodies in the financial years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 (PQ 283588). The income relates to departments:
	1. sending staff on the School's open programmes that are contained in our portfolio. Latest information on courses and services is available on the National School website:
	http://www.nationalschool.gov.uk
	2. commissioning the School to run tailored programmes specifically for the department; and
	3. consultancy work.
	Some of the tailored work commissioned by departments may involve the attendance on programmes of people from outside the department. In particular, the Department for International Development commissions the School to carry out international work as part of the UK aid programme.
	
		
			  National School of Government: Income 
			   
			  Organisation  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Animal Health 3,125.00 21,192.00 29,000.00 
			 Army Training and Recruiting Agency 0.00 75,000.00 0.00 
			 Assets Recovery Agency 34,707.00 56,794.00 1,260.00 
			 Attorney-Generals Office 3,662.00 2,857.00 7,880.00 
			 Big Lottery Fund 18,520.00 14,729.00 18,585.00 
			 British Embassy 19,902.00 14,186.00 2,695.50 
			 British High Commission 188,137.02 181,284.32 97,535.30 
			 British Library 1,050.00 7,036.10 3,760.50 
			 Buying Solutions 38,781.06 16,906.00 5,658.40 
			 Cabinet Office 695,262.05 746,434.78 704,425.27 
			 Central Office of Information 58,522.00 57,571.00 55,719.20 
			 Central Science Laboratory 2,100.00 6,995.00 6,715.00 
			 Centre for Applied Learning 14,608.00 9,492.00 0.00 
			 Centre for Applied Learning (CAL) 0.00 25,177.79 17,275.00 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 4,290.00 10,180.00 16,365.00 
			 Charity Commission 6,647.00 8,445.00 20,926.00 
			 Child Support Agency 49,012.98 43,810.25 18,097.00 
			 Commonwealth Secretariat 0.00 28,705.50 25,335.60 
			 Communities and Local Government 696,004.58 658,672.50 627,285.50 
			 Companies House 13,594.00 12,544.00 12,767.50 
			 Criminal Justice System 655.00 957.50 3,750.00 
			 Criminal Records Bureau 69,569.66 11,435.00 16,321.25 
			 Crown Office 2,860.00 295.00 0.00 
			 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service 32,445.00 15,135.50 14,185.00 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 103,600.22 132,822.70 110,068.00 
			 Crown Solicitors Office 825.00 300.00 640.00 
			 Customs and Revenue Internal Governance 0.00 3,016.20 0.00 
			 Defence Bills Agency 0.00 0.00 19,200.00 
			 Defence Estates 87,731.27 2,850.00 5,130.00 
			 Defence Procurement Agency 1,550.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory 57,834.00 30,215.00 42,155.96 
			 Defence Storage and Distribution Agency 3,940.98 0.00 2,500.00 
			 Defence Support Group 0.00 0.00 450.00 
			 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 529,949.83 636,858.63 1,094,762.88 
			 Department for Children, Schools and Families 770,205.47 702,053.29 737,187.63 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 204,312.35 270,726.45 240,528.80 
			 Department for Employment and Learning 18,410.00 3,800.00 1,850.00 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 789,963.79 816,484.64 592,635.09 
			 Department for International Development 1,295,474.76 1,683,721.55 1,735,146.65 
			 Department for Regional Development 15,819.00 19,010.00 8,510.00 
			 Department for Social Development, N. Ireland 259,753.28 111,723.69 14,207.07 
			 Department for Transport 565,741.01 521,764.10 498,985.41 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 399,109.84 796,729.52 1,477,014.74 
			 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure NI 3,998.99 0.00 425.00 
			 Department of Education NI 18,605.00 14,740.00 146.00 
			 Department of Energy and Climate Change 0.00 0.00 12,904.00 
			 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment 1,165.00 650.00 425.00 
			 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment NI 15,300.00 15,365.00 1,420.00 
			 Department of Health 379,172.96 489,235.82 568,525.99 
			 Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety NI 28,333.66 650.00 18,365.00 
			 Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform 3,280.00 3,380.00 0.00 
			 Department of the Environment 16,944.00 8,610.00 4,210.00 
			 Department of the Marine and Natural Resources 370.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Drinking Water Inspectorate 0.00 0.00 1,570.00 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 142,469.64 111,404.55 110,443.70 
			 Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (NI) 1,125.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Driving Standards Agency 30,089.26 22,323.00 42,775.00 
			 Emergency Planning College 13,517.75 0.00 0.00 
			 Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland 355.00 95.00 3,000.00 
			 European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites 2,686.66 0.00 0.00 
			 Export Credits Guarantee Department 26,015.84 51,151.50 26,769.00 
			 Fire Service College 11,793.50 8,620.00 4,520.00 
			 Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory 7,980.00 10,901.00 1,525.00 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency 0.00 4,170.00 1.825.00 
			 Food Standards Agency 325,528.19 406,997.81 282,230.01 
			 Football Licensing Authority 400.00 1,515.00 3,844.00 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 761,098.43 797,549.02 1,352,216.14 
			 Forensic Science Service 36,536.68 11,884.00 2,525.00 
			 Forestry Commission 31,575.50 65,366.00 78,434.86 
			 Gambling Commission 0.00 0.00 245.00 
			 General Register Office (Scotland) 7,830.00 3,815.00 2,380.00 
			 Government Actuary's Department 370.00 370.00 6,750.00 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 1,980.00 5,360.00 1,000.00 
			 Government Communication Bureau 29,150.00 19,525.00 5,675.00 
			 Government Communication Planning Directorate 30,705.32 19,141.56 22,863.78 
			 Government Communications Centre 0.00 0.00 6,500.00 
			 Government Communications Headquarters 104,196.09 177,503.93 198,401.70 
			 Government Equality Office 0.00 0.00 9,949.50 
			 Government Office for the East of England 0.00 3,975.00 975.00 
			 Government Office for the North West 105,279.84 125,066.19 104,368.29 
			 Government Office for the South West 29,900.27 18,010.00 4,015.00 
			 Government Skills 0.00 4,385.00 32,549.50 
			 Govnet Communications 0.00 800.00 0.00 
			 Health and Social Care Information Centre 1,640.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Health and Safety Commission 0.00 305.00 0.00 
			 Health and Safety Executive 247,182.20 298,267.57 221,732.00 
			 Health and Safety Laboratory 6,746.00 1,700.00 6,525.00 
			 Her Majesty's Government Communication Centre 5,400.00 20,160.00 18,480.50 
			 Highways Agency 147,286.52 128,602.50 116,830.00 
			 Historic Scotland 3,728.00 2,495.00 4,102.50 
			 HM Courts Service 36,025.40 85,219.50 101,623.00 
			 HM Inspectorate of Probation 0.00 0.00 10,000.00 
			 HM Prison Service 186,780.94 325,205.71 336,955.61 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 672,134.69 566,218.85 1,108,759.88 
			 HM Treasury 438,574.84 428,926.99 566,797.00 
			 Home Housing Corporation 0.00 0.00 900.00 
			 Home Office 1,333,578.42 1,037,95823 1,325,400.68 
			 Home Office: Border and Immigration Agency 14,090.80 29,943.00 9,565.25 
			 Home Office: Centre for Learning and Development 0.00 3,200.00 7,200.00 
			 Home Office: Immigration and Nationality 25,930.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Home Office: Immigration Service 1,000.00 4,200.00 0.00 
			 Home Office: Police Leadership and Powers Unit 0.00 18,748.50 0.00 
			 House of Commons 168.00 0.00 535.50 
			 Identity and Passport Service 148,643.45 150,221.94 175,972.20 
			 Imperial War Museum 1,721.00 1,750.00 630.00 
			 Independent Safeguarding Authority 0.00 0.00 2,020.00 
			 Institute for Animal Health 0.00 1,134.00 1,360.00 
			 Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research 2,890.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Jobcentre Plus 87,214.85 55,355.17 103,064.50 
			 Land Registry 200,159.78 305,461.00 187,680.50 
			 Law Officers Department 0.00 0.00 705.00 
			 Legal Services Commission 31,966.14 20,015.00 35,039.00 
			 London Development Agency 0.00 4,025.00 1,750.00 
			 Marine Fisheries Agency 0.00 555.00 12,575.00 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 26,624.25 17,717.50 14,329.00 
			 Meat Hygiene Service 14,807.00 3,450.00 12,750.00 
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 17,336.80 7,872.00 31,809.50 
			 Met Office 57,541.63 64,230.20 30,139.80 
			 Ministry of Defence 2,100,259.72 2,384,843.86 2,557,433.57 
			 Ministry of Defence: Defence Equipment and Support 0.00 0.00 6,400.00 
			 Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency 0.00 0.00 9,722.72 
			 Ministry of Justice 510,574.76 721,903.11 681,247.05 
			 Museum of London 275.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Museum of Science and Industry 0.00 0.00 665.00 
			 Museums Libraries and Archives Council 5,795.00 1,385.00 1,500.00 
			 National Archives 32,139.50 19,977.50 34,706.00 
			 National Archives of Scotland 0.00 990.00 270.00 
			 National Audit Office 4,545.00 9,430.00 14,055.00 
			 National Employment Panel 0.00 4,095.00 0.00 
			 National Gallery 0.00 600.00 630.00 
			 National Heritage Memorial Fund 890.00 1,420.00 0.00 
			 National Maritime Museum 0.00 4,250.00 0.00 
			 National Museum of Science and Industry 0.00 6,530.00 0.00 
			 National Museums of Liverpool 9,744.36 0.00 0.00 
			 National Offender Management Service 0.00 1,760.00 14,150.00 
			 National Portrait Gallery 0.00 850.00 350.00 
			 National Savings and investments 4,345.00 10,288.00 7,847.00 
			 Natural History Museum 3,520.00 1,535.00 3,250.00 
			 Northern Ireland Audit Office 1,925.00 1,701.00 25,550.00 
			 Northern Ireland Civil Service 4,710.00 1,870.00 1,060.00 
			 Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment 0.00 600.00 0.00 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 36,195.00 28,966.00 38,647.00 
			 Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development 0.00 0.00 11,600.00 
			 Northern Ireland Executive: Department Finance and Personnel 127,356.06 42,680.28 49,710.60 
			 Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission 470.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Northern Ireland Office 172,310.12 155,719.05 145,076.75 
			 Northern Ireland Prison Service 5,850.00 3,550.00 4,725.00 
			 Office for Criminal Justice Reform 0.00 2,280.00 36,054.50 
			 Office for National Statistics 83,336.65 117,414.00 141,930.01 
			 Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills 59,350.00 69,080.00 63,075.00 
			 Office of Climate Change 0.00 7,448.00 2,950.00 
			 Office of Communications 6,264.00 4,805.00 8,017.00 
			 Office of Fair Trading 73,978.25 38,533.00 55,756.86 
			 Office of Gas and Electricity Markets 32,274.00 20,722.00 8,970.40 
			 Office of Government Commerce 112,563.69 136,065.35 146,958.60 
			 Office of Public Guardian 4,183.00 12,443.00 18,901.00 
			 Office of Rail Regulation 43,506.00 52,744.00 35,532.50 
			 Office of the Civil Service Commissioners 1,870.00 0.00 410.00 
			 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister 6,070.29 1,889.50 585.00 
			 Office of the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner 8,790.00 4,580.00 895.00 
			 Office of Water Services 9,777.50 2,200.00 6,061.00 
			 Offices of Court Funds, Official Solicitor and Public Trustee 0.00 0.00 2,235.00 
			 Olympic Delivery Authority 5,597.10 2,250.24 4,960.00 
			 Ordnance Survey 12,601.50 24,065.00 16,755.50 
			 Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland 0.00 4,680.00 841.00 
			 Pensions Transformation Programme 1,500.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Pesticides Safety Directorate 805.00 450.00 0.00 
			 Planning Inspectorate 4,164.00 18,295.00 51,036.00 
			 Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) 12,755.00 64,548.50 51,648.00 
			 Prime Ministers Delivery Unit 0.00 0.00 750.00 
			 Prime Minister's Delivery Unit 2,420.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Prime Minister's Office 3,915.00 2,585.00 17,991.00 
			 Prison Service College 2,720.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Privy Council Office 36,865.00 17,850.00 4,100.00 
			 Probation Board for Northern Ireland 0.00 0.00 945.00 
			 Public Lending Right 1,380.00 0.00 540.00 
			 Public Prosecution Service 0.00 10,000.00 0.00 
			 Public Service Management Wales 0.00 0.00 350.00 
			 Regional Co-ordination Unit 4,660.00 2,479.00 5,940.00 
			 Registers of Scotland 41,321.50 38,880.00 54,444.00 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office 25,220.00 72,941.50 53,264.00 
			 Royal Armouries Museum 0.00 0.00 2,654.00 
			 Royal Mint 2,050.00 2,350.00 350.00 
			 Royal Parks Agency 12,214.50 8,175.00 10,740.00 
			 Rural Payments Agency 66,269.88 71,265.50 57,441.00 
			 Scotland Office 7,245.00 2,755.00 5,895.00 
			 Scottish Agricultural Science Agency 2,475.00 2,425.00 4,345.00 
			 Scottish Environment Protection Agency 17,160.29 2,212.00 28,915.00 
			 Scottish Executive Health Department 1,445.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency 0.00 1,580.00 10,395.00 
			 Scottish Information Commissioner 0.00 0.00 3,005.00 
			 Scottish Public Pensions Agency 11,275.05 12,825.00 19,360.49 
			 Serious Fraud Office 17,024.00 47,941.50 31,097.00 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency 19,725.00 42,382.00 120,166.20 
			 Service Personnel and Veterans Agency 0.00 1,025.00 2,000.00 
			 Small Business Service 3,490.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Social Security Agency 1,737.50 0.00 0.00 
			 Specialist Procurement Services Agency 0.00 95.00 0.00 
			 The Advocate-General for Scotland 1,825.00 0.00 0.00 
			 The Crown Estate 285.00 0.00 0.00 
			 The National Assembly for Wales 324,061.86 172,351.50 64,490.00 
			 The Oil and Pipelines Agency 720.00 575.00 2,860.00 
			 The Pension Service 70,013.23 8,665.00 32,434.00 
			 The Planning Service 0.00 95.00 125.00 
			 The Rent Service 34,092.10 10,990.00 16,013.00 
			 The Royal Household 990.00 1,290.00 4,220.00 
			 The Science and Technology Facilities Council 0.00 650.00 0.00 
			 The Scottish Government 189,504.80 237,124.79 280,116.91 
			 The Scottish Parliament 17,805.00 6,356.00 14,754.00 
			 The Security Service 0.00 15,457.00 2,450.00 
			 Training Development Agency for Schools 17,385.00 29,921.20 26,996.00 
			 Transport for Scotland 2,770.00 2,358.00 3,295.00 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department 218,860.65 255,764.75 230,353.50 
			 Tribunals Service 1,055.00 37,867.86 26,502.00 
			 UK Film Council 7,868.75 0.00 770.00 
			 UK Insolvency Service 33,789.00 36,294.50 54,605.00 
			 UK Intellectual Property Office 44,333.24 79,059.75 114,944.08 
			 UK Permanent Representation to European Union 6,440.00 0.00 0.00 
			 UK Sport 14,452.14 12,435.56 6,871.18 
			 UK Trade and Investment 96,541.83 42,649.75 87,350.82 
			 UK Visas United (Joint FCO/Home Office Directorate) 34,412.50 11,159.00 3,748.00 
			 United Kingdom Debt Management Office 1,065.00 500.00 0.00 
			 United Kingdom Hydrographic Office 7,253.11 13,215.00 9,915.00 
			 Valuation and Lands Agency 470.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Valuation Office Agency 22,910.50 22,120.00 11,590.00 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 62,287.25 43,570.00 40,554.44 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 1,355.00 3,525.00 0.00 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 11,076.50 11,479.00 2,650.00 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 10,909.50 19,135.50 16,403.00 
			 Victoria and Albert Museum 0.00 1,705.00 0.00 
			 Wales Audit Office 3,915.00 850.00 0.00 
			 Wales Office 3,975.00 4,596.00 1,617.00 
			 Welsh Assembly Government 14,609.30 166,689.74 247,743.84 
			 Wilton Park 360.00 0.00 395.00 
			 Youth Justice Board for England and Wales 8,965.00 19,558.50 15,031.00

Stress

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public authorities have provided stress management training courses for their staff through the National School of Government in the last 36 months.

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the National School of Government. I have asked the principal and chief executive to reply.
	 Letter form Rod Clark, dated July 2009:
	In the Written Ministerial Statement to the House on 9 January 2007 (Official Report Col 5WS), the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Pat McFadden MP) announced that the National School of Government was now a Non Ministerial Department. Consequently, the Minister for the Cabinet Office has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the National School of Government.
	Since July 2006 the National School of Government has run one Stress Management Workshop. Members of staff from the following public authorities attended:
	The Home Office;
	Department for Work and Pensions;
	Communities and Local Government;
	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
	National School of Government;
	Office of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman; and
	The House of Lords.
	Stress Management is part of the overall Organisational Health and Well Being agenda which is recognised as essential to the component of engaging employees to achieve effective performance.

Water

Maria Miller: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effect on the publication of the Basingstoke Water Cycle report of the interpretation of the national security circular in relation to water assets.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 29 June 2009
	 None.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Apprentices

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role job centres have in the promotion and uptake of Government-funded apprenticeships.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what role Jobcentres have in the promotion and uptake of Government-funded apprenticeships. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus work in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council and local agencies to promote apprenticeship opportunities and our advisers will discuss and refer customers to apprenticeship vacancies in the normal course of business. Apprenticeship vacancies that are notified to Jobcentre Plus are clearly displayed on Jobpoints in all Jobcentres and on our vacancies Internet site.
	In addition, we signpost and refer customers to careers advisory services where customers who might benefit from apprenticeship training receive more in-depth advice and guidance.
	Jobcentre Plus promotes the Government's funding for training to employers as part of our integrated approach to providing an employment and skills service with our learning and skills partners.

Children: Maintenance

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will bring forward proposals for non-resident parents to be reimbursed for clothing purchased for their children; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: There is no specific provision in legislation which allows the Child Support Agency to treat clothing purchased for children as voluntary payments for child maintenance purposes. However, the Agency is able to treat any form of payment as a voluntary payment where the parent with care accepts them in lieu of child maintenance; this could include clothing purchased for children.
	An amendment to legislation is not therefore appropriate in this case.

Departmental Procurement

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many private sector organisations have submitted proposals to her Department under the right to bid programme on improving the delivery of services provided by her Department; how many of these proposals relating to each of her Department's services are being considered by her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 15 May 2009
	The right to bid initiative was introduced on 1 January 2009 and we are pleased to say that we have had a significant amount of interest. As of 6 July 2009, 91 bids have been received from a mixture of organisations, 47 of which are from private sector organisations.

Disability Living Allowance

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what guidance her Department issues to assessors on the account to be taken of representations by  (a) parents and  (b) professionals who know the child concerned in determining amounts of disability living allowance in respect of young people with autism;
	(2)  what training her Department's officials who assess claims for disability living allowance receive in respect of issues affecting young people with autism.

Jonathan R Shaw: All claims for disability living allowance are decided by decision makers who are required to make decisions fairly and impartially based on the application of the law to the facts of the individual case.
	Decision maker training covers all available legal and medical guidance in relation to the weighing of evidence from individual sources. The impairment specific training received by decision makers includes sessions on autistic spectrum disorder and learning disability. Evidence provided by parents and professionals involved in the care of children with autistic spectrum disorder are considered an important source of evidence.
	The Department provides decision makers with guidance on deciding claims for disability living allowance within the Decision Makers Guide. In addition, guidance is given in respect of children with autistic spectrum disorder within the Disability Handbook which includes guidance on the best sources of evidence.
	The Department is reviewing and updating medical guidance for people under 16 covering a number of impairments with relevant medical experts. Autistic spectrum disorder is included in this review.
	All staff determining claims to disability living allowance receive training on how to use all guidance. Advice is also provided on how to interpret information provided by parents and other professionals. This will also be reviewed and updated in line with the new medical guidance.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals claiming  (a) employment support allowance and  (b) jobseeker's allowance who voluntarily disclosed the use of crack cocaine or heroin were referred to a drug treatment provider in each of the last two months for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information is not currently available broken down into benefit types. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Total number of individuals who voluntarily disclosed the use of crack cocaine or heroin and who were referred to a drug treatment provider since 27 April 2009 
			  Month  Number of referrals made nationally 
			 April 2009 14 
			 May 2009 55 
			 June 2009 85

Ethnic Employment Taskforce

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will place in the Library a copy of a sample fictitious job application made to a business by the Ethnic Employment Taskforce.

Jim Knight: The Racial Discrimination in Recruitment report will be placed in the Library when it is published this autumn. It will contain examples of the CVs used.

Ethnic Employment Taskforce

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions between what dates the Ethnic Employment Taskforce sent fictitious job applications to businesses; and at what cost to the public purse.

Jim Knight: CVs and application forms were sent out by the research company to businesses between November 2008 and May 2009. The total cost of the research project including fieldwork, analysis of data and the production of the final report will be 168,700.

Ethnic Employment Taskforce

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Ethnic Employment Taskforce consulted organisations representing  (a) employers and  (b) businesses on its proposal to submit fictitious job applications to businesses before such applications were sent.

Jim Knight: In October 2007, the employer-led Business Commission on Race Equality recommended 'matched CV' testing to measure progress towards eliminating the ethnic minority employment gap. The Chancellor of the Exchequer accepted this recommendation and asked the Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force (EMETF) to oversee delivery and report back to him in writing by December 2009. A Confederation of British Industry (CBI) member sits on the EMETF. The CBI is also on the steering group for the research project.

Future Jobs Fund

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether an impact assessment has been undertaken in respect of the  (a) Future Jobs Fund and  (b) Young Persons' Guarantee.

Jim Knight: Both an equality impact assessment and a privacy impact assessment have been prepared for the Future Jobs Fund and Young Person's Guarantee. These are currently being quality assessed. Following this, they will be published in line with current guidance.

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the ratio of jobseeker's allowance claimants to members of frontline staff in Jobcentre Plus was  (a) in the UK,  (b) in each region and  (c) in each Jobcentre Plus district on the latest date for which information is available; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information has been placed in the Library.

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus in each month since January 2007.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus in each month since January 2007. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mel Groves as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Mel Groves is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	The tables below show the number of staff against a range of activities for each month from January 2007 up to February 2009. Functions in the customer service operations part of Jobcentre Plus are standard activities and each month Jobcentre Plus captures how many full-time equivalents are deployed on each of these activities. In addition to staff deployed on standard activities, there are also around 2,500 people in Directorates who support Jobcentre Plus operations. People in these roles undertake a wide variety of activities and are recorded as Other Business Support.
	
		
			   2007 
			   January  February  March 
			 Jobcentre Plus Activities 69,766 69,181 67,751 
			 Income Support (IS) New Claims Processing 1,691 1,667 1,645 
			 IS Claims Maintenance 3,749 3,788 3,691 
			 Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) New Claims Processing 3,483 3,431 3,379 
			 JSA Claims Maintenance 2,118 2,132 2,057 
			 Incapacity Benefit (IB) New Claims Processing 1,332 1,348 1,339 
			 IB Claims Maintenance 2,998 3,015 2,947 
			 Benefit Telephony Team 3,145 3,152 3,069 
			 Social Fund Activities 2,975 2,943 2,887 
			 Benefit Management 389 390 380 
			 Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities 10,174 9,898 9,537 
			 Provide Fraud Investigation Service 2,865 2,816 2,750 
			 Provide Customer Compliance Service 875 870 866 
			 Job Seeker Direct 886 906 809 
			 Employer Vacancy Handling 1,454 1,428 1,402 
			 Job Enquiry Activities 59 59 61 
			 3rd Party Provision Management (non European Social FundESF) 244 240 234 
			 3rd Party Provision Management (ESF) 131 135 132 
			 Job Search Review 4,578 4,511 4,407 
			 Disability Services 374 378 359 
			 Employment Zones Initiatives 36 36 35 
			 Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support) 12,107 12,083 11,947 
			 New Deal for Disabled People 92 82 72 
			 Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management 320 320 313 
			 Business Support Activities 8,925 8,902 8,876 
			 Other Business Support 4,766 4,651 4,557 
		
	
	
		
			   2007  2008 
			   April  May  June  July  August  September  October   November  December  January  February  Mar ch 
			 JCP Activities 67,562 66,903 67,100 67,391 67,241 67,050 66,944 67,083 67,005 66,951 66,846 66,378 
			 ISNew Claims 1,592 1,550 1,544 1,536 1,504 1,480 1,441 1,433 1,439 1,408 1,387 1,377 
			 IS Claims Maintenance 2,690 2,653 2,666 2,564 2,534 2,526 2,514 2,552 2,513 2,473 2,532 2,501 
			 JSA New Claims Processing 1,698 1,700 1,708 1,694 1,666 1,655 1,654 1,606 1,571 1,546 1,546 1,558 
			 JSA Claims Maintenance 1,509 1,495 1,526 1,548 1,563 1,580 1,550 1,543 1,567 1,560 1,560 1,564 
			 Benefit Telephony Team 2,420 2,507 2,515 2,631 3,005 3,058 3,156 3,310 3,361 3,418 3,412 3,416 
			 IB New Claims Processing 1,074 1,048 1,049 1,054 1,020 1,002 989 996 987 966 958 959 
			 Incapacity Benefit Claims Maintenance 2,426 2,344 2,350 2,359 2,344 2,341 2,322 2,308 2,298 2,293 2,279 2,251 
			 Debt Referrals Activities 481 504 493 504 500 600 602 605 582 585 578 550 
			 Social Fund Activities 2,908 2,925 3,001 3,358 3,157 3,358 3,345 3,239 3,255 3,221 3,205 3,111 
			 Benefit Management 479 477 476 473 495 494 489 484 484 493 484 487 
			 Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities 14,469 14,316 14,136 13,938 13,668 13,414 13,323 13,288 13,256 13,236 13,167 12,972 
			 Provide Fraud Investigation Service 2,783 2,740 2,743 2,736 2,726 2,723 2,716 2,713 2,692 2,682 2,698 2,697 
			 Provide Customer Compliance Service 879 875 893 896 893 897 901 910 920 918 916 916 
			 Job Seeker Direct 761 722 718 588 664 536 529 606 603 597 598 563 
			 National Sales Team 144 151 148 148 150 159 173 174 173 173 175 166 
			 Employer Vacancy Handling 1,226 1,182 1,206 1,280 1,238 1,163 1,188 1,241 1,223 1,267 1,289 1,320 
			 Job Enquiry Activities 148 152 147 144 138 122 128 119 113 116 112 107 
			 3rd Party Provision Management (non ESF) 234 230 229 222 217 219 217 226 228 227 230 227 
			 3rd Party Provision Management (ESF) 136 133 134 140 141 137 137 133 134 127 125 126 
			 Job Search Review 4,613 4,583 4,657 4,797 4,853 4,796 4,755 4,743 4,747 4,800 4,816 4,768 
			 Allowance Payment Processors 814 665 517 448 406 369 317 313 302 292 282 284 
			 Disability Services 86 86 81 87 88 87 86 82 80 77 79 82 
			 Access to Work (includes Management and Support) 274 261 259 257 255 253 256 257 257 256 253 252 
			 Employment Zones Initiatives 27 26 29 31 33 34 35 37 36 42 44 44 
			 Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support) 11,881 11,973 12,235 12,358 12,422 12,516 12,595 12,647 12,699 12,761 12,746 12,695 
			 New Deal for Disabled People 74 71 68 67 59 55 54 50 45 31 29 27 
			 Jobcentre Manager (JCM) 406 442 464 487 506 511 528 538 538 545 552 549 
			 Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management 295 297 290 291 282 286 284 286 285 278 280 288 
			 Business Support Activities 6,844 6,856 6,934 6,900 6,960 6,941 6,933 6,949 6,931 7,067 7,102 7,166 
			 Other Business Support 4,192 3,943 3,882 3,856 3,753 3,738 3,726 3,697 3,686 3,493 3,414 3,355 
		
	
	
		
			   2008  2009 
			   April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December  January  February 
			 JCP Activities 65,979 65,607 66,505 67,308 67,346 66,975 66,733 66,890 67,165 67,941 68,315 
			 IS New Claims Processing 1,350 1,317 1,345 1,337 1,318 1,182 1,140 993 899 795 714 
			 IS Claims Maintenance 2,455 2,463 2,448 2,499 2,472 2,369 2,299 2,239 2,220 2,186 2,124 
			 JSA New Claims Processing 1,548 1,569 1,614 1,618 1,647 1,610 1,657 1,752 1,853 2,254 2,455 
			 JSA Claims Maintenance 1,612 1,601 1,545 1,593 1,601 1,573 1,524 1,558 1,567 1,593 1,609 
			 IB New Claims Processing 967 937 939 910 912 751 719 567 481 394 302 
			 Incapacity Benefit Claims Maintenance 2,218 2,271 2,293 2,376 2,366 2,211 2,187 2,061 2,004 1,942 1,896 
			 ESA New Claims Processing 0 0 0 0 40 474 600 958 1,066 1,101 1,130 
			 ESAClaims Maintenance 0 0 0 0 15 220 230 306 401 508 614 
			 Social Fund Activities 2,558 2,605 2,667 2,777 2,749 2,731 2,733 2,745 2,757 2,817 2,827 
			 Benefit Telephony Team 3,403 3,406 3,532 3,638 3,698 3,599 3,586 3,550 3,655 3,679 3,720 
			 Debt Referrals Activities 461 435 514 480 455 443 436 435 422 405 396 
			 Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities 8,535 8,400 8,353 8,318 8,280 8,171 8,063 8,012 7,988 7,971 7,841 
			 Benefit Management 480 478 488 495 490 489 500 526 531 541 543 
			 Provide Fraud Investigation Service 2,910 2,841 2,820 2,817 2,799 2,804 2,797 2,781 2,769 2,779 2,790 
			 Provide Customer Compliance Service 911 901 903 902 894 891 885 887 880 854 836 
			 Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support) 12,800 12,882 12,978 13,217 13,287 13,345 13,397 13,444 13,524 13,892 14,015 
			 Employer Vacancy Handling 1,026 1,098 1,197 1,306 1,394 1,457 1,475 1,467 1,438 1,406 1,398 
			 Job Enquiry Activity 110 95 89 86 75 76 73 62 61 64 64 
			 3rd Party Provision Management 235 224 225 228 232 239 240 246 247 243 241 
			 ESF 107 109 112 122 110 116 120 115 113 110 112 
			 Job Search Review 4,665 4,612 4,746 5,067 5,122 5,007 4,881 4,869 4,923 5,037 5,249 
			 Allowance Payment Processors 240 238 238 234 235 235 237 242 233 234 232 
			 Disability Services 83 86 86 87 87 86 83 82 81 81 85 
			 Employment Zones Initiatives 47 48 49 42 37 34 30 29 28 31 31 
			 New Deal for Disabled People 21 20 22 6 5 5 5 4 5 4 4 
			 Customer Service Manager 1,392 1,370 1,380 1,401 1,423 1,428 1,414 1,403 1,429 1,452 1,495 
			 Jobcentre Manager (JCM) 555 559 567 583 587 576 573 568 564 571 572 
			 National Sales Team 133 76 34 43 45 44 47 53 61 62 59 
			 Access to Work (includes Management and Support) 253 252 250 259 267 262 259 261 258 250 243 
			 Contact Centre Agents 5,623 5,463 5,653 5,882 5,720 5,580 5,601 5,758 5,854 5,973 6,019 
			 Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management 2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Business Support Activities 6,585 6,591 6,527 6,569 6,601 6,616 6,579 6,551 6,507 6,360 6,367 
			 Other Business Support 2,697 2,658 2,886 2,419 2,380 2,356 2,365 2,365 2,344 2,353 2,329

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus (JCP) in each year since 1997. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mel Groves as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Mel Groves is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	The enclosed tables show the average number of staff across each year from April 2003 up to February 2009, against a range of activities. Information is not available prior to April 2003. Functions in the customer service operations part of Jobcentre Plus are standard activities and each month Jobcentre Plus captures how many full-time equivalents are deployed on each of these activities. In addition to staff deployed on these activities, there are also around 2,500 people in Directorates that support Jobcentre Plus operations. People in these roles undertake a wide variety of activities and are recorded as Other Business Support.
	You will see in the table a sharp reduction in Personal Adviser numbers between 2004/05 (22,479) and 2005/06 (14,614). You will wish to note that is due to staff involved in Fortnightly Job Reviews being removed from the Personal Adviser count from 2005/06 and subsequently.
	
		
			  JCP activities  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 IS Claims 2,845 2,311 1,941 
			 IS Load 4,500 4,203 4,059 
			 JSA Claims 2,811 2,433 2,179 
			 JSA Load 2,488 2,184 1,966 
			 IB Claims 1,933 1,603 1,357 
			 IB Load 3,359 3,418 3,157 
			 Social Fund Activities 3,484 3,316 3,367 
			 Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities 7,946 8,493 11,982 
			 Benefit Management   400 
			 Customer Compliance   1,084 
			 Criminal Investigation   2,698 
			 Job Enquiries Activity   1,062 
			 Vacancy Service Manager   720 
			 Counter-Fraud Investigation Service 4,560 4,176  
			 Jobseeker Direct 882 762 882 
			 Jobsearch Review Activity   4,488 
			 Disability Services 420 428 1,024 
			 Employment Zones 31 47 38 
			 Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support) 22,966 22,479 14,614 
			 NDDP   178 
			 Business Support Activities 16,785 16,687 9,952 
			 Other Business Support   1,452 
			 Total 75,010 72,540 68,600 
		
	
	
		
			  JCP activities  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 IS New Claims Processing 1,768 1,467 1,120 
			 IS Claims Maintenance 3,700 2,548 2,331 
			 JSA New Claims Processing 3,416 1,626 1,771 
			 JSA Claims Maintenance 1,978 1,540 1,572 
			 Debt Referrals Activities  546 442 
			 IB New Claims Processing 1,282 1,004 712 
			 Incapacity Benefit Claims Maintenance 2,966 2,315 2,155 
			 ESA New Claims Processing   486 
			 ESA-Claims Maintenance   208 
			 Benefit Telephony Team 2,693 3,002 3,570 
			 Social Fund Activities 2,860 3,158 2,711 
			 Benefit Management 454 482 503 
			 Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities 10,003 13,535 8,135 
			 Provide Fraud Investigation Service 1,642 2,708 2,796 
			 Provide Customer Compliance Service 883 897 882 
			 Job Seeker Direct 897 621  
			 National Sales Team  160 59 
			 Employer Vacancy Handling 1,521 1,229 1,427 
			 Job Enquiry Activities 28 128 77 
			 3rd Party Provision Management (non ESF) 283 224  
			 3rd Party Provision Management (ESF) 137 133  
			 3rd Party Provision Management   235 
			 ESF   113 
			 Job Search Review 4,571 4,721 4,901 
			 Allowance Payment Processors  416 235 
			 Disability Services 381 83 84 
			 Access to Work (includes Management and Support)  256 254 
			 Customer Service Agent   5,610 
			 Employment Zones Initiatives 40 35 37 
			 Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support) 11,697 12,401 13,278 
			 New Deal for Disabled People 119 52 9 
			 Customer Service Manager   1,410 
			 Jobcentre Manager (JCM)  503 568 
			 Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management 1,648 285 1 
			 Business Support Activities 9,367 6,932 6,500 
			 Other Business Support 5,090 3,710 2,456 
			 Total 69,425 66,719 66,648

Local Employment Partnership Awards 2009

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 123W, on local employment partnerships, what the final cost was of the Local Employment Partnership Awards 2009; and how much  (a) each of the 11 local award ceremonies and  (b) the grand final cost.

Jim Knight: The Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs) Awards 2009 are an integral part of our strategy to support the delivery of LEPs across Great Britain. We want more employers to work through LEPs so that unemployed people have a better chance to get back to work.
	The Awards have been established to highlight the major benefits that LEP participation has brought to employers and partners and to celebrate the success of individual employees who have found sustainable work through the programme.
	An overall budget of 663,000 was allocated to support this work and we have delivered the events under budget due to cost savings negotiated with suppliers. Final figures for the cost of each event are listed in the following table:
	
		
			  Cost breakdown for the 12 country/regional and national awards 
			  LEP awards  Event costs () 
			 Scotland Award 55,481.13 
			 North East Award 51,757.25 
			 North West Award 53,970.56 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Award 55,048.47 
			 Wales Award 53,480.66 
			 West Midlands Award 58,039.11 
			 East Midlands Award 50,878.04 
			 East of England Award 52,016.32 
			 South East Award 55,249.40 
			 London Award 54,988.52 
			 South West Award 51,465.55 
			 National Award 39,441.82 
			 Total costs 631,816.83

New Deal Schemes

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what her most recent estimate is of the number of  (a) short-term job outcomes defined as 13 weeks of employment and  (b) sustained job outcomes defined as 26 weeks employment likely to be achieved by flexible new deal providers for Phase 1 in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Jim Knight: The performance offers of each provider for the flexible new deal (FND) contracts are commercially sensitive. We have notified bidders of the results of the FND competition and we intend to award contracts in good time to begin delivery in October 2009.

Social Security Benefits

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average processing time for claims received for  (a) pension credit,  (b) jobseeker's allowance and  (c) winter fuel allowance in (i) the UK, (ii) the north-east, (iii) Teesside and (iv) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Pension credit information is not available broken down geographically. Information on the national average actual clearance times (AACT) for pension credit for 2008-09 is in the following table.
	
		
			  Pension credit clearance times: Great Britain, 2008-09 
			   Working days/number 
			 Target AACT (Working days) 15 
			 Total Processed (Number) 298,075 
			 AACT (Working days) 15 
			  Note: The AACT is calculated by dividing the total number of working days taken to clear cases by the total number of cases cleared.  Source: Pension Service Legacy System. 
		
	
	Information for jobseeker's allowance is not available by local authority district or parliamentary constituency. The available information for jobseeker's allowance is in the following table.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance average actual clearance times, June 2008 to May 2009 
			   Working days 
			 Great Britain 10.1 
			 North East Benefit Delivery 9.3 
			 Newcastle BDC 8.5 
			 Sunderland BDC 9.7 
			 Stockton BDC 9.6 
			  Source: Management Information System Programme. 
		
	
	Information is not available for processing times for winter fuel payments as the process is largely automatic.
	Winter fuel payments are made to eligible customers aged 60 or over, each year to provide help with fuel bills.
	During 2008-09 DWP delivered automatic winter fuel payments to over 99.9 per cent. of eligible customers by the end of December, and as a result, over 12.5 million customers received their payment before Christmas 2008.
	We paid over 2.7 billion in winter fuel payments to over 12.6 million customers.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will make an assessment of the merits of introducing mechanisms for the monitoring by independent assessors of doctors conducting medical assessment interviews for the work capability assessments of vulnerable claimants.

Jonathan R Shaw: Robust mechanisms already exist to monitor the quality of the Work Capability Assessments. Monitoring is carried out by Atos Healthcare, the company which is contracted to provide medical services to the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department also carries out a range of quality checks independently.

JUSTICE

Consultants: Ministry of Justice

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much and what proportion of his Department's expenditure on external consultants in 2008-09 was incurred on each project or programme.

Jack Straw: The Ministry's provisional expenditure on external consultants in 2008-09 is 53,600,000. This is disclosed in the Ministry of Justice departmental annual report 2008-09 on page 72 which can be found in the link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/justice-annual-report-2008-09.htm
	This amount covers the Ministry of Justice HQ, HM Courts Service, Tribunals Service, and the National Offender Management Service. This figure is an early estimate and will be subject to change.
	The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) collates data on consultancy expenditure as part of its Consultancy Value Programme which assists Departments in driving greater value from Government's use of consultants.
	The finalised figures for 2008-09 will be available on the OGC website (see link) in due course. A manual data collection exercise for this period is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2009 with the data expected at 31 October 2009.
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/professional_services_consultancy_value_programme.asp
	The information requested for each project or programme is not held centrally and would involve a manual trawl of each unit at a disproportionate cost.

Crime: Justice

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of offences committed in each of the last 12 years were classified as offences brought to justice within 18 months of the offence being committed.

Claire Ward: The number of recorded crimes and offences brought to justice (OBTJ) for the period year ending March 1999 to year ending December 2008 (latest available) are given in Table 1.
	It is not possible to directly compare recorded crimes and offences brought to justice. Crimes and offences brought to justice are not measured in the same way. The Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime provide a framework for the consistent recording of crimes by police forces based on reports from victims and witnesses, whereas offences brought to justice are a count of the convictions, cautions, penalty notices for disorder and cannabis warnings given to individuals for separate offences in law, or the number of separate offences taken into consideration. As such, it is not possible for published statistics to directly link individual recorded crimes to the offences for which the offender is subsequently brought to justice.
	In addition, there is an inevitable time lag between a crime being committed and the offence being brought to justice at court, so the level of recorded crime in a particular period is not directly comparable to the number of offences brought to justice in the same period. However, in the vast majority of cases offences will be brought to justice within 18 months of the crime being recorded.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of recorded crimes( 1, 2, 3)  and offences brought to justice (OBTJ)( 4)  for the period year ending March 1999 to year ending December 2008 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  Number of crimes recorded by the police  Total offences brought to justice 
			 March 1999 5,109 1,103 
			 June 1999 5,195 1,096 
			 September 1999 5,234 1,086 
			 December 1999 5,261 1,085 
			 March 2000 5,301 1,084 
			 June 2000 5,262 1,071 
			 September 2000 5,218 1,046 
			 December 2000 5,195 1,013 
			 March 2001 5,162 996 
			 June 2001 5,209 989 
			 September 2001 5,298 989 
			 December 2001 5,422 1,001 
			 March 2002 5,525 1,002 
			 June 2002 5,670 1,010 
			 September 2002 5,787 1,025 
			 December 2002 5,844 1,031 
			 March 2003 5,898 1,038 
			 June 2003 5,910 1,044 
			 September 2003 5,932 1,051 
			 December 2003 5,932 1,060 
			 March 2004 5,935 1,077 
			 June 2004 5,850 1,087 
			 September 2004 5,750 1,097 
			 December 2004 5,679 1,125 
			 March 2005 5,560 1,138 
			 June 2005 5,523 1,187 
			 September 2005 5,507 1,235 
			 December 2005 5,504 1,277 
			 March 2006 5,479 1,327 
			 June 2006 5,452 1,356 
			 September 2006 5,414 1,386 
			 December 2006 5,387 1,409 
			 March 2007 5,351 1,423 
			 June 2007 5,255 1,444 
			 September 2007 5,139 1,454 
			 December 2007 4,982 1,456 
			 March 2008 4,951 (5)1,446 
			 June 2008 4,869 (5)1,430 
			 September 2008 4,838 (5)1,406 
			 December 2008 4,789 (5)1,386 
			 (1 )Police recorded crime statistics based on data from all 43 forces in England and Wales excludes British Transport for the period before year ending March 2008 (2 )Includes British Transport police from period year ending March 2008. (3 )The introduction of the National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS) in April 2002 resulted in significant increases in the number of crimes recorded. (4 )Excludes British Transport police (5 )The numbers of offences brought to justice (OBTJ) for 2008 are un-validated data from the courts and police, therefore provided as management information as they are provisional and likely to change.  Note:  Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Disability Living Allowance

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals his Department has received against a refusal to award disability living allowance to a young person diagnosed with autism in each year since 2001.

Bridget Prentice: The First-tier TribunalSocial Security and Child Support (SSCS) does not keep the information requested in a readily available format. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The following disability living allowance data is available.
	
		
			  Total number of disability living allowance appeals 
			   Number of appeals cleared at hearing 
			 2001-02 78,169 
			 2002-03 71,034 
			 2003-04 71,800 
			 2004-05 73,211 
			 2005-06 71,125 
			 2006-07 63,727 
			 2007-08 58,842 
			 2008-09 54,645

Disability Living Allowance

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what training members of appeals tribunals considering awards of disability living allowance receive in respect of issues affecting young people with autism.

Bridget Prentice: The First-tier TribunalSocial Security and Child Support (SSCS) panels which hear disability living allowance appeals are composed of three members: a legally qualified member, a medically qualified member and a member with experience of disability issues.
	All members of the disability living allowance panel attend refresher training once every three years. While this training is seldom specific to any particular age group or medical condition, it often involves consideration of case studies which deal with the type of physical and mental disability (including autism) which frequently present themselves at tribunals. The same considerations apply to the residential training for lawyers which all fee paid tribunal judges attend once every four years. Both these training sessions are mandatory.
	All medically qualified panel members who hear disability living allowance appeals were invited to attend a one day training programme during the period 2005-07. The main focus of the training was on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autistic spectrum disorders, including issues affecting young children with autism. The take-up for this training was 87 per cent. and training material was also made available on the judicial website.
	In addition, all members of the panel are issued with the Department for Work and Pensions Disability Handbook which has a chapter devoted to autism and Asperger syndrome.

Driving Offences: Fines

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average fine for a person convicted of an offence under section  (a) 14(3) and  (b) 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988 was in the last 12 months.

Claire Ward: The average fine imposed at all courts for seat belt offences under sections 14 and 15 of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) 1988 in England and Wales, 2007 is shown in the following table. It is not possible to separately identify section 14 (3) from other offences in sections 14 and 15.
	Section 41D of the RTA 1988, as added by the Road Safety Act 2006 S.26, which came into force February 2007, gave authority to existing regulations, under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, to make certain offences endorsable. The average fine imposed at all courts for these offences are also given in the table.
	Court proceedings date for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  The average fine imposed at all courts for selected motoring offences( 1) , England and Wales, 2007( 2) 
			  Offence description  Average fine () 
			 Seat belt offences 54 
			 Use of hand held mobile phone while driving 82 
			 Causing or permitting the use of a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle 76 
			 Using a mobile phone while supervising the holder of a provisional driving licence to drive a motor vehicle on the road 74 
			 (1) Includes the following statute:  Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 14(1), (2), (3), 15(1)(A), (2)  (4),  15B  Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, R.110(1)(2)(3) (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Office for Criminal Justice ReformEvidence and Analysis Unit.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the principal duties are of each director of offender management in England and Wales; and whether they have responsibility to supervise the activities of frontline probation services;
	(2)  how many directors of offender management have been appointed in England and Wales; how many staff are employed by each; what percentage of staff employed by each was previously employed  (a) in HM Probation Service,  (b) in HM Prison Service background and  (c) elsewhere.

Maria Eagle: The principle duties of each director of offender management in England and Wales includes delivery of the departmental strategic objective of protecting the public and reducing reoffending through driving the effective integration of the work of all agencies in localities and across the region. While a key element of this work is to optimise the integration of the prison and the national probation service at local and regional levels, to protect the public, reduce reoffending and improve performance they are not directly responsible for the supervision of front-line probation as this is the responsibility of the probation chief officers via relevant probation boards or trusts.
	There are 10 directors of offender management in post in England and Wales. The remaining region is currently being filled by an interim appointment.
	Currently over 500 staff operate in the regional structure undertaking core work and delivery support work. Numbers in post vary from region to region depending on size and operational set up. The staff are predominantly Prison Service staff who were part of the former Service's Area Office Support Network. The regional offender managers offices were a newer organisation with smaller numbers of staff, comprising of a mixture of Prison Service and national probation service secondees.
	The information on exact percentages would incur disproportionate costs to obtain this as all of the DOMs would need to be contacted and they would then need to go further afield in order to obtain this information.
	During the design phase of the regional restructure, it was recognised that to operate effectively, it is imperative that the newly created regional teams reflect and utilise the skills, competencies and experience from all parts of the agency and existing fast-track arrangements across the Ministry of Justice. Secondees will continue to be sought into the regional structure from probation to maintain the benefits of probation expertise in the regional offices.

National Probation Service for England and Wales

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to make an appointment to replace the post of Director of the National Probation Service.

Maria Eagle: Part of the restructuring of the National Offender Management Service is the appointment of 10 Directors of Offender Management (DOMs), one for each of the nine regions in England and one in Wales from 1 April this year (one is currently an interim appointment). The DOMs are from a wide range of backgrounds with extensive experience in all aspects of offender management.
	The decision to devolve significant powers in offender management to a regional level has, inevitably, required a review of management functions at a national level. There are no longer distinct prisons and probation headquarters functionsthe work is now performed by staff directly employed by the NOMS agency.
	At the most senior level, these changes are exemplified by the creation of a new post with operational responsibility for both prisons and probationthe NOMS Chief Operating Officer. From 1 April this year, the Chief Operating Officer has taken responsibility for the previous functions of Prisons Director of Operations and Director of the National Probation Service. This post was filled following a full external competition supervised by the Civil Service Commissioner to ensure that the most suitable candidate was selected.
	The post of Chief Operating Officer is much more than an amalgamation of senior posts in order to achieve efficiencies. The Chief Operating Officer's function is to ensure that the DOMs are delivering and to hold them accountable if they are not.
	The DOMs will now undertake much of the work at a regional level that was previously conducted nationally by either the Director of the National Probation Service or the Director of Operations for the Prison Service.
	As a result, there is no intention to reappoint another Director of the National Probation Service, just as there is no intention to reappoint another Director of Operations for the Prison Service.

Political Parties: Finance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit companies which have registered a trading loss from making donations to political parties.

Michael Wills: The Government have no current plans to do so.
	The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, and the Political Parties and Elections Bill which is before Parliament, require certain conditions to be satisfied in order for donors to be deemed permissible. Under the 2000 Act, for a company to be a permissible donor, it must be registered under the Companies Act 1985 or the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, incorporated within the United Kingdom or another member state in the European Union, and must carry on business in the United Kingdom. A company which makes a trading loss in a given year is capable of satisfying this condition. The Electoral Commission offers additional guidance for political parties in receipt of donations from companies. The guidance states that where parties are in any doubt about the status of a company offering a donation, they should seek to obtain a signed statement from the registered director of the company or the company secretary confirming that they are carrying on business. A full copy of the commission's guidance is available at:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/_data/assets/electoral_commission_pdf_file/0018/13707/DonationsloansguidanceFinal_27536-17297_E_N_S_W_.pdf
	The Political Parties and Elections Bill contains measures to strengthen the controls on political donationsincluding those from companiesby requiring all donations over 7,500 to be accompanied by a declaration as to the identity of the true donor.

Probation: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average ratio of offenders to Probation Service staff in the Essex probation area was in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The ratio of offenders supervised by Essex probation area to Essex probation staff as at 31 March each year is as follows. The ratio between the number of offenders and offender management staff only is also provided:
	
		
			   All staff  :  offenders  Offender Management staff  :  offenders 
			 2005 1:11  
			 2006 1:12 1:47 
			 2007 1:14 1:50 
			 2008 1:16 1:49 
			 2009 1:15 1:49 
		
	
	The number of offenders includes some in custody who would be subject to probation supervision on release. Essex probation area restructured its staff grades in 2006 and introduced a split between offender managers and staff who undertook intervention work. Therefore it is not possible to provide the ratio between offender managers and offenders for 2005.

Probation: Finance

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when he expects to announce the re-adjusted funding formula for the Probation Service;
	(2)  what the re-adjusted funding formula is for the distribution of probation area budgets.

Maria Eagle: The funding formula for the distribution of probation area budgets remains in place, and the 2009-10 budget allocation process was based primarily on the 2008-09 outturns calculated using this formula.
	In 2009-10, the National Probation Service is required to make efficiency savings of 20 million gross in line with the wider Ministry of Justice efficiency programme. But taking account of a 17 million underspend in 2008-09 the net saving will be 3 million. Allocating these savings requirements according to the traditional funding formula would have had a disproportionate impact on some areas. A number of additional factors were therefore taken into account including convictions data, current and past financial performance, externally verified savings potential, and the need to avoid radical budget shifts in any one area.
	Final decisions on how to allocate probation area budgets for 2010-11 and subsequent years will not be finalised until there is a definitive budget for the service as a whole for those years.

Probation: Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average caseload for a probation officer working in Wales was on 31 December  (a) 1997,  (b) 2001 and  (c) 2007.

Maria Eagle: The average case load for a probation officer working in Wales on 31 December 2007 was 28 cases.
	Information on the average case load for 2001 and 1997 is not available for an all Wales perspective. Some of this information is no longer held, and would have been disposed of in accordance with the six-year retention limit specified by the Data Protection Act.
	As follows is a table of the information that is available.
	
		
			   1997  2001  2007 
			 North Wales  25 39 
			 South Wales  23 38 
			 Dyfed-Powys 31 15 23 
			 Gwent   27 
			 Average   28

Young People: Remand in Custody

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many juveniles remanded in custody were subsequently  (a) acquitted and  (b) given a non-custodial sentence in (i) a magistrates' court and (ii) the Crown Court in each year since 2003;
	(2)  what proportion of juveniles appearing before a court on  (a) Monday to Friday and  (b) Saturday were given a custodial remand in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Claire Ward: The information contained in the table shows the proportion of juveniles remanded in custody who were subsequently acquitted or given a custodial sentence at all courts, England and Wales 2003 to 2007. These data are from the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database. Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	Information on the proportion of juveniles appearing before court on a particular day, who were remanded into custody is not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Estimated proportion of juvenile s( 1)  remanded in custody( 2 ) who were subsequently acquitted or received a non-custodial sentence( 3)  at magistrates courts and the Crown court, England and Wales 2003-07 
			  Percentage 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Magistrates courts  
			 Acquitted 34 31 28 26 24 
			 Non-custodial 42 43 44 45 51 
			   
			  Crown court  
			 Acquitted 18 16 14 12 14 
			 Non-custodial 26 21 21 18 18 
			 (1) Defined as being aged 10-17 at the date of appearance in court. (2) Includes those remanded in custody at any stage of proceedings at magistrates and Crown courts who may also have been given bail at some stage of those proceedings. (3) For magistrates courts, the proportions receiving a non-custodial sentence are presented as a percentage of those cases that were completed in a magistrates court and therefore exclude those committed for trial or sentence at the crown court. Non-custodial sentences include discharges, fines, community sentences, and a number of other sentences that do not involve incarceration. Acquitted includes proceeding discontinued, discharged, withdrawn and dismissed.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. It is known that in some police force areas, information on remand decisions is not always readily available to those coding court proceedings returns. In certain cases, the return may be mistakenly coded as if no remand had taken place. For magistrates court proceedings, the number of remands and more importantly, the number which are in custody, are believed to be under-recorded in total. As the breakdown of remands into bail and custody cases for a number of forces is not accurate for a number of forces, estimates have to be made to provide national figures. For this reason proportionate figures have been provided in the table.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Overseas Territories: Discrimination

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to include a prohibition on discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the constitutions of Overseas Territories.

Chris Bryant: The Government take the protection of human rights very seriously. We ensure that all new constitutions contain a Bill of Rights that reflects, at a minimum, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This ensures that all groups, whether or not specifically mentioned in each Bill of Rights, have at least the same degree of protection under the relevant constitution as people in the UK have under the ECHR and Human Rights Act. Under these instruments discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation is prohibited.
	In addition, we strongly encourage each Overseas Territory to agree to include a specific prohibition on discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in their new constitutions. The outcome depends on the constitutional negotiation with each territory.

British Overseas Territories: Discrimination

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many recently amended constitutions of Overseas Territories do not prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Chris Bryant: Since 2006, the Government have agreed new constitutions with five Overseas Territories and implemented them by Order in Council: the British Virgin Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cayman Islands (not yet in force). Only the Falkland Islands' constitution specifically mentions sexual orientation as a ground on which discrimination is prohibited.
	The new St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cuhna Constitution, which has been agreed and will be submitted to Her Majesty the Queen in the Privy Council on 8 July 2009, also specifically mentions sexual orientation as a ground on which discrimination is prohibited.
	The Government take the protection of human rights very seriously. Even though there may not be specific provision within a constitution for non-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, we do ensure that all constitutions contain a Bill of Rights that reflects at a minimum the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The effect is that all groups, whether or not specifically mentioned in the Bill of Rights have at least the same degree of protection under the constitution as people in the UK have under the ECHR and the Human Rights Act.

British Overseas Territories: Discrimination

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many constitutions of Overseas Territories which do not prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation the Government has agreed to since 1997.

Chris Bryant: Six new Overseas Territory constitutionsthe British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, the Falklands Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and St. Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunhahave been agreed since 1997. In each case the constitution contains a Bill of Rights that reflects at a minimum the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This means that everyone in those territories has at least the same degree of protection under each constitution as people in the UK have under the ECHR and the Human Rights Act. It also means discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, as enshrined in the ECHR, is prohibited.

Colombia: Politics and Government

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will hold discussions with the Colombian government on the situation of members of the Nukak tribe camped near San Jose; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Our embassy in Bogot regularly raises human rights issues with senior Colombian Government officials, and has been following the plight of members of the Nukak Maku tribe for some time. The embassy recently approved financial support to the National Indigenous Organisation of Colombia for activities related to the upcoming visit to Colombia of Mr. James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People, who, among other issues, will be addressing the situation of the Nukak Maku tribe.

Departmental Information Officers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to his Department of press office staff other than press officers has been in each year since 1997.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) annual salary cost of press office staff other than press officers was 429,648 in the 2008-09 financial year, 421,532 in 2007-08 and 410,677 in 2006-07. These staff work in areas such as: updating the news section of the FCO website and other e-media; liaising with foreign journalists in the UK; photographing official ministerial meetings; and managing the logistics of FCO media events.
	Figures previous to 2006-07 could not be split between press office staff and press officers.
	These figures are calculated on an average salary cost basis which includes basic pay, national insurance, superannuation and the London location allowance.

EU Budget

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's  (a) gross and  (b) net contribution to the EU budget is in 2009.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government's latest forecast of UK net contributions to the EC Budget in 2008-09 and 2009-10 were published in Table C9 (page 238) of the 2009 Budget (C 407). A more detailed breakdown of these contributions and an estimate of UK contributions in 2009 will be included in the 2009 European Community Finances White Paper which will be published shortly.

Gibraltar: Territorial Water

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the government of Gibraltar on its application to the Court of First Instance in relation to the Spanish government's designation of Gibraltarian territorial waters under the EU Habitats Directive.

Chris Bryant: We are in close contact with the Government of Gibraltar and are aware of their application to the Court of First Instance, for the annulment of Commission Decision 2009/95/EC to the extent that it lists Estrecho Oriental so as to include British Gibraltar territorial waters and an area of the high seas. This is a matter we take very seriously and we are examining Gibraltar's case in detail to determine what action we might take.

Gurkhas

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an estimate of the number of retired Gurkhas working as private security contractors in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the number of retired Gurkhas working as private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	161 former Gurkhas are working for a contractor providing security services at our Missions in Iraq. 299 are working for a contractor providing security services at our Missions in Afghanistan.

India

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will make representations to the Indian government on the effects of bauxite mining on the Adivasi population in India; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The EU maintains a constructive dialogue with the Indian authorities about human rights and minority rights issues. Officials from our high commission have had an active part in these discussions. The Department for International Development (DFID) has discussed the general rights and entitlements of tribal groups with Government of Orissa officials under the Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme part funded by DFID.
	In light of the EU's ongoing dialogue, we have no plans to make representations on the effects of bauxite mining on the Adivasi population bilaterally with the Indian Government.

Israel: Imports

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2126W, on imports: Israel, for what reasons the Government is not seeking a prohibition on the importation of goods from illegal Israeli settlements other than under the Preferential Trade Agreement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government believe that the best way forward is to seek ways to offer consumers better advice on whether goods have been produced in illegal Israeli settlements. The Cabinet Office recently hosted a small roundtable meeting with representatives from food retailers and trading organisations. They discussed the draft of new, voluntary guidance on origin labelling of produce from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently considering the next step of public consultation.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford of 6 April 2009 on his constituent, Ms Daphne Green of Chelmsford; and what the reason is for the time taken to reply.

Chris Bryant: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 2 July 2009,  Official Report, column 386W. The reason for the delay in replying was the need to obtain legal advice for the response.

Middle East

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Israeli Government on the West Bank security barrier.

Ivan Lewis: We continue to make clear to Israel that, while we recognise fully Israel's right to self-defence and agree that if it decides to build a barrier, it should be able to do that, the barrier must be built either on or behind the green line.

Middle East

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK has made to the Government of Israel on the boarding of and removal of persons from a Free Gaza boat in international waters by Israeli forces; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I can confirm the Israeli navy boarded the vessel Spirit of Humanity on 30 June 2009. The Israeli navy took control of the vessel and diverted it to Ashdod port in Israel, where all those on board, including six British nationals, were handed over to Israeli immigration officials. All six were deported and arrived in the UK on 6 July 2009.
	When my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, on 1 July 2009, he raised the issue with him and asked for clarification of whether the Spirit of Humanity had been intercepted in international waters.

Nepal: Internally Displaced Persons

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of Nepal on civilians who are missing following the conflict in that country in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We regularly raise our concerns about human rights abuses with the Government of Nepal, both bilaterally and with the EU, at both official and ministerial level. This includes the issue of enforced and involuntary disappearances.
	My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, raised our concerns about the human rights situation, including the need to make progress on investigations into the disappeared, with the then Nepalese Foreign Minister, Upendra Yadav, on 4 March 2009 in the margins of the 10th Human Rights Council Ministerial in Geneva. Lord Malloch-Brown specifically raised the case of Maina Sunuwar, the handling of which will be emblematic of many conflict-era disappearances. The UK also ensured that Nepal was specifically mentioned in the EU statement in the plenary of the 10th Human Rights Council.
	Lord Malloch-Brown raised our concerns about the disappeared with Nepalese Foreign Secretary Acharya during his visit to Nepal in July 2008. He also raised the importance of transitional justice mechanisms with the National Human Rights Commission.
	In Kathmandu, the EU missions have voiced their concerns on the draft Disappearances Bill prepared by the Government of Nepal, through press statements and high-level meetings. EU ambassadors also raised, in detail, the question of dealing with disappearances and the proposed Disappearances Commission with the Prime Minister and leaders of the four largest parties, in a series of discussions in January and February 2009.
	Our embassy in Kathmandu has played an active part in the production of a local strategy to tackle impunity, of which addressing disappearances is a central theme. The embassy also financially supports victims groups, such as those in Bardiya District, in filing cases and advocating for justice.
	We will continue to engage with the Government of Nepal to urge it to meet the commitments it has made to uphold and promote human rights, and to address past abuses.

Nepal: Internally Displaced Persons

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has had discussions with the Nepalese authorities in the last 12 months on those still missing following the country's armed conflict; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We regularly raise our concerns about human rights abuses with the Government of Nepal, both bilaterally and with the EU, at both official and ministerial level. This includes the issue of enforced and involuntary disappearances.
	My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, raised our concerns about the human rights situation, including the need to make progress on investigations into the disappeared, with the then Nepalese Foreign Minister, Upendra Yadav, on 4 March 2009 in the margins of the 10th Human Rights Council Ministerial in Geneva. Lord Malloch-Brown specifically raised the case of Maina Sunuwar, the handling of which will be emblematic of many conflict-era disappearances. The UK also ensured mat Nepal was specifically mentioned in the EU statement in the plenary of the 10th Human Rights Council.
	Lord Malloch-Brown raised our concerns about the disappeared with Nepalese Foreign Secretary Acharya during his visit to Nepal in July 2008. He also raised the importance of transitional justice mechanisms with the National Human Rights Commission.
	In Kathmandu, the EU missions have voiced their concerns on the draft Disappearances Bill prepared by the Government of Nepal, through press statements and high-level meetings. EU ambassadors also raised, in detail, the question of dealing with disappearances and the proposed Disappearances Commission with the Prime Minister and leaders of the four largest parties, in a series of discussions in January and February 2009.
	Our embassy in Kathmandu has played an active part in the production of a local strategy to tackle impunity, of which addressing disappearances is a central theme. The embassy also financially supports victims groups, such as those in Bardiya District, in filing cases and advocating for justice.
	We will continue to engage with the Government of Nepal to urge it to meet the commitments it has made to uphold and promote human rights, and to address past abuses.

Orissa

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he expects a second EU delegation to visit Orissa.

Ivan Lewis: An EU delegation, which included a representative from our high commission in New Delhi, visited Orissa between 9-12 December 2008 to assess the latest situation. A second visit was planned for spring 2009, but was then postponed. We have not yet been informed of the new dates.

Orissa

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has had discussions with the Indian government on the protection of Christians called as witnesses in trials relating to the recent violence in Orissa.

Ivan Lewis: We have not discussed the protection of Christians called as witnesses in trials relating to the recent violence in Orissa with the Indian Government. The EU maintains a constructive dialogue with the Indian authorities about human rights and minority rights issues, which includes the situation in Orissa and its neighbouring states following the violence in 2008. Officials from our high commission have had an active part in these discussions.

Orissa

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the UN's role in Orissa since the publication of the UN's recent report on Orissa; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We are aware of a report issued by the UN Special Rapporteur for freedom of religion or belief following a UN mission to India in 2008. However, we have not been involved in discussions with international partners about the UN's role in Orissa, beyond noting the conclusions and recommendations contained in that report. The UK already works multilaterally through the ongoing EU dialogue with the Indian authorities on minority rights, which includes the situation in Orissa.

Pakistan

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to assist the government of Pakistan develop a counter-insurgency strategy for  (a) Pakistan and  (b) the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas.

Ivan Lewis: I last discussed the security situation in Pakistan and the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with President Zardari on 11 May 2009. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials based at our high commission in Islamabad also continue to hold frequent discussions with a wide range of Pakistani Ministers, politicians and officials. We continue to encourage Pakistan to ensure that military gains in the border areas are underpinned by a comprehensive strategy that brings lasting security through reconstruction, development and improved governance. We have shared expertise and best practice with the Government of Pakistan, and as part of our wider programme of defence engagement we have helped to build the capacity of the Pakistani security services to conduct effective operations.

Pakistan

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to assist the government of Pakistan in seeking alternatives to militant control in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last discussed the security situation in Pakistan and the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with President Zardari on 11 May 2009. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials based at our high commission in Islamabad also continue to hold frequent discussions with a wide range of Pakistani Ministers, politicians and officials. We are pressing the Government of Pakistan to design and implement a long-term comprehensive strategy for improving governance, justice and services in the FATA. We continue to support Pakistan's efforts to reform the judicial system, build effective policing services and address the drivers of radicalisation. The Department for International Development's programme of 665 million over the next four years will include programmes focussed on the border areas, and will help to addressing the underlying causes of conflict and insecurity. During the EU-Pakistan summit on 17 June 2009, we and our EU partners made a commitment to enhance our support of Pakistan's efforts to counter violent extremism. We will encourage the EU Commission to deliver its commitments to build police capacity, help counter radicalisation and to promote judicial reform.

Pakistan

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made to the government of Pakistan on the reported murder of five women in Baluchistan province in July 2008.

Ivan Lewis: The UK, together with our EU partners, condemned the murder of five women in Baluchistan in July 2008, and called on the Government of Pakistan to bring those responsible to justice. We welcomed the resolution adopted by Pakistan's Senate for strong action to be taken against the perpetrators.
	Through both multilateral and bilateral representation, we continue to encourage the Government of Pakistan to promote and protect women's rights in accordance with international standards such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women which Pakistan has signed. The UK delegation to the UN Human Rights Council also raised this during the Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan's human rights record in May 2008.
	Through our high commission in Islamabad we support projects which promote women's rights and help obtain better access to justice, for example by supporting community-based lawyer-activists who represent women in cases of forced marriage, domestic violence and other crimes; encouraging the creation of a lawyers' network of human rights advocates with prominent women advocates; improving investigative journalism in Pakistan to encourage impartial reporting on political, electoral and human rights issues; and raising awareness and teaching of human rights, including women's rights, in schools.

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds the Government has made available to  (a) the government of Pakistan and  (b) others to help combat extremism and militant control in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan in the last two years; on what initiatives such funds have been spent; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: As part of our CONTEST counter-terrorism strategy, we continue to help build Pakistani capacity to tackle violent extremism. We have a 10 million programme of counter-terrorism support, which helps build the capacity of Pakistani law enforcement agencies and also helps to address some of the drivers of radicalisation. Through our bilateral programmes and conflict prevention funding we are also working to support Pakistan's efforts to bring long-term peace and security to the border areas, including through capacity-building support to the North West Frontier Province police. As part of our wider programme of defence engagement we have helped to build the capacity of the Pakistani security services to conduct effective operations. More broadly, the Department for International Development is providing 665 million over the next four years, which will be key to addressing the underlying causes of conflict and insecurity.

Russia: Georgia

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Russian government on its decision to veto the renewal of the UN observer mission in Georgia.

Chris Bryant: We deeply regret Russia's decision to veto the renewal of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia. We and our partners worked hard to come up with a compromise text that was acceptable to all, including Russia. Since Russia's veto, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, making clear the UK's disappointment, our demand that Russia complies with the 12 August 2008 and 8 September 2008 peace agreements, and encouraging Russia to participate constructively in the Geneva process. We also continue to urge EU partners to raise these concerns with Russia.

South Ossetia: Abkhazia

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on monitoring the security situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Chris Bryant: We discuss Georgia frequently with our EU partners. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed international monitoring with his EU counterparts at the June European Council. My noble Friend the Minister for Europe, Baroness Kinnock, went on patrol with the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) on 24 June 2009.
	The closure of the UN and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe missions in Georgia makes monitoring of the security and humanitarian situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia more difficult. Our EU partners have agreed with the UK that the extension of the mandate of the EUMM is even more important in these changed circumstances. We continue to lobby Russia to use its influence to help EUMM gain access to the separatist regions.

Taking Chess to the Townships Project

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on the Taking Chess to the Townships project; if he will meet representatives of the organisers of the project and other stakeholders to discuss the project's future; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 3 July 2009
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not received any representations on the Taking Chess to the Townships project.

USA: Africa

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US administration on its policy priorities for Africa.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discusses African issues on a regular basis with his US counterpart, including most recently during his visit to Washington on 11-12 May 2009. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown met with senior US officials in Washington on 22 June 2009, and again at the African Union summit in Libya on 30 June-1 July 2009.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials also have regular dialogue with the US Administration on Africa, including at a senior level. These discussions have ranged across priority countries and issues, including on promoting human security and functioning government in Somalia, reform in Zimbabwe, action in Kenya to address issues underlying the violence following the 2007 elections, support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan, relations with Nigeria, and tackling drug trafficking in West Africa.

Uzbekistan

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department made to the recent UK-Uzbekistan human rights dialogue in relation to religious minorities in Uzbekistan; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Our ambassador in Tashkent makes a significant contribution to regular reporting by EU Heads of Mission on human rights in Uzbekistan. These reports, including in respect of religious freedom and supported as necessary through interventions by the UK Representation in Brussels, play a key role in driving the agenda for the annual EU-Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue. Our embassy worked closely with the Czech presidency in Tashkent in the run-up to the most recent dialogue, which took place on 9 June 2009. Our aim is to continue to draw attention to our concerns on religious freedom and other human rights issues in constructive contacts with the Uzbek authorities.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatments NHS hospitals provide for patients who have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol.

Gillian Merron: There are a wide range of diseases and health problems associated with both short-term and long-term excessive consumption of alcohol, which can range from injuries sustained from accidents while under the influence of alcohol, which may be treated by accident and emergency departments, through to alcohol-related liver failure and diseases such as hypertension and certain types of cancer, for which alcohol consumption may be a cause.
	It is, therefore, not possible to provide an exhaustive list of the treatments that national health service hospitals provide for patients with diseases caused by consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.
	In relation to treatments for alcohol dependence:
	in 2006, the Department commissioned the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse to review the published international research literature on alcohol interventions and treatment. The Review of the effectiveness of treatment for alcohol problems, was published in November 2006 and describes a wide range of treatments and interventions.
	the Department and the National treatment Agency for Substance Misuse jointly published, in June 2006, best practice guidance to aid commissioners and providers in delivering effective interventions and treatment, Models of care for alcohol misusers (MoCAM).
	A copy of both documents has been placed in the Library and are also available on the National Treatment Agency website
	www.nta.nhs.uk

Ambulances

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) ambulances and  (b) rapid response vehicles per head of population there are in each ambulance trust.

Mike O'Brien: This information is not held centrally. The purchasing of ambulance vehicles is a matter for national health service ambulance trusts to manage in order to provide appropriate resources to meet local demand.

Dental Health: Children

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average number of teeth a child aged five years had which  (a) were actively decayed,  (b) were filled and  (c) had extracted in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information available centrally is from national health service dental health surveys of five-year-old children which are normally conducted every other year under the auspices of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. The data in the following table relate to decayed, missing (not necessarily extracted) and filled (at point of examination) teeth.
	
		
			  Five year old children 
			   Average decayed teeth  Average missing teeth  Average filled teeth 
			 2005-06 1.10 0.20 0.16 
			 2003-04 1.12 0.20 0.18 
			 2001-02 1.09 0.19 0.19 
		
	
	The results of the survey conducted in 2007-08 will be published shortly.

Dental Services

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for orthodontic treatment in  (a) South Tyneside,  (b) the North East and  (c) England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information is not collected centrally on waiting times for national health service orthodontic treatment provided in primary care.
	From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner or dentist to the start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so, or they choose to wait longer.
	The 18 weeks commitment covers pathways that involve or might involve consultant-led care. Referral to treatment (RTT) data collection monitors the length of time from referral through to treatment and is used to measure performance against the 18 weeks operational standard.
	Information is collected on the total number of incomplete RTT pathways, for oral surgery, which includes orthodontic treatment. This data looks at patients who have entered a RTT pathway but whose treatment had not yet started. Data is available from August 2007. The following table shows data for South Tyneside primary care trust (PCT), North East strategic health authority (SHA) and England:
	
		
			  Oral surgery, total number of incomplete RTT pathways 
			   South Tyneside PCT  North East SHA  England 
			 August 2007 329 3,011 152,302 
			 April 2008 244 3,850 121,032 
			 April 2009 423 3,431 111,188 
			  Note:  RTT data are only available from 2007 onwards.  Source:  Department of Health 18 weeks RTT data.

Dental Services

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average combined waiting time for initial orthodontic assessment and subsequent treatment was in  (a) South Tyneside,  (b) the North East and  (c) England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information is not collected centrally on waiting times for national health service orthodontic treatment provided in primary care.
	From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner or dentist to the start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so, or they choose to wait longer.
	The 18 weeks commitment covers pathways that involve or might involve consultant-led care. Referral to treatment (RTT) data collection monitors the length of time from referral through to treatment and is used to measure performance against the 18 weeks operational standard.
	Information is collected on the median RTT waiting times for oral surgery, which includes orthodontic treatment. Data for admired pathways is available from April 2007, and data for non-admitted pathways is available form August 2007.
	The following table shows data for South Tyneside primary care trust (PCT), North East strategic health authority (SHA) and England
	
		
			  Oral Surgery - RTT waiting times (weeks) 
			   South Tyneside PCT  North East SHA  England 
			  Admitted pathways
			 April 2007 24.0 25.7 22.0 
			 April 2008 10.0 11.7 11.1 
			 April 2009 9.5 9.8 10.5 
			  Non-admitted pathways
			 August 2007 10.0 9.6 8.3 
			 April 2008 5.7 6.0 5.3 
			 April 2009 6.2 8.3 5.9 
			  Notes: 1 The median waiting time reflects the amount of time that the 'middle' patient treated has waited. 2 RTT data is only available from 2007 onwards.  Source:  Department of Health 18 weeks RTT data

Dental Services

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontic treatments were provided by dentists and orthodontists for  (a) adults and  (b) children in (i) South Tyneside, (ii) the North East and (iii) England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not available, and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, the NHS Information Centre intends to publish information relating to units of orthodontic activity for 2008-09 in the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2008-09 report, expected to be published in August 2009. This will be provided by strategic health authority area in England.

Departmental Manpower

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to page 232 of his Department's Annual Report 2009, what the job titles are of those staff members who earn more than 150,000 per annum.

Phil Hope: The job titles of the staff members who earn more than 150,000 per annum are presented as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Permanent secretaries 3 
			 Directors general 6 
			 Director 1 
			 Doctors employed by the Department on national health service pay terms 7 
		
	
	Earnings referred to above include salary and pay-related allowances but not non-consolidated performance pay (bonuses).

Departmental Official Engagements

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from how many public engagements each Minister in his Department has withdrawn after accepting an invitation to attend in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what terms and conditions are set by his Department in relation to the provision of funding from his Department's budget to  (a) charities,  (b) voluntary organisations and  (c) social enterprises.

Phil Hope: The standard terms and conditions of grants awarded to third sector organisations through the Third Sector Programme, the Social Enterprise Investment Fund and Opportunities for Volunteering scheme have been placed in the Library.

Departmental Sick Leave

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) staff in his Department and  (b) NHS staff are on long-term sickness absence; and how many such staff are on long-term sickness absence for mental health reasons.

Phil Hope: In the Department itself, as of 30 June 2009, 23 people were on long-term sick leave (defined as being more than 28 days continuous sick leave). Of those long-term sickness absences, five were for reasons of mental health.
	Centrally available data on national health service staff does not provide the information requested.

Epilepsy: Medical Treatments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had with epilepsy patient groups on the generic substitution of branded anti-epileptic drugs.

Mike O'Brien: A number of patient representative groups, such as those representing epilepsy sufferers, have written to the Department expressing their concerns on the implementation of generic substitution. We have not yet met with any such groups but we want to make sure we engage with all stakeholders in the best way possible and are currently considering how best to do so.
	Patient safety will be paramount in taking forward the work on generic substitution. It has long been the Department's policy to encourage generic prescribing where possible, for reasons of good professional practice and because of the opportunities for more effective use of national health service resources. However, we have always recognised that there are circumstances in which it may be clinically appropriate to prescribe a particular brand of drug even where a generic is available if the prescriber considers it essential for the patient to receive that specific product. This position will need to be maintained under any new specific proposals made as part of the work on generic substitution.

Health Services: Hygiene

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is considering, other than hand sanitation, to reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections.

Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 June 2009,  Official Report, column 381W.

Health Services: Volunteers

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to announce policy decisions following his Department's consultation on supporting volunteering in health and social care.

Phil Hope: A response document to 'Towards a strategy to support volunteering in Health and Social Care: consultation', will be published in the next few weeks.

Hospitals: Smoking

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the implementation of the ban on smoking in public places in psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric wards of hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The smoking ban in mental health in-patient settings came into force on 1 July 2008. We believe that many mental health trusts have implemented the ban with little or no difficulty. These inpatient settings are being transformed for the better and going smoke free is part of this. Mental health staff and patients deserve the same healthier, smoke free environment as the rest of the national health service.
	We will continue to encourage mental health trusts to maintain smoke free environments in in-patient settings.

Influenza: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doses of Relenza the NHS holds; and when he expects the antiviral stockpile to be complete.

Gillian Merron: The United Kingdom stockpile of Relenza is complete and amounts to 10.5 million treatment courses. Approximately 300,000 treatment courses have been distributed to the national health service in England.

Influenza: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date he expects sufficient stockpiles of Tamiflu to be in place to be able to treat 80 per cent. of the population.

Gillian Merron: The delivery profile as indicated by the manufacturer should lead to us completing the stockpile in October 2009.

Kidneys: Health Education

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health education programmes his Department has initiated in the last 12 months to raise the level of public awareness of chronic kidney disease; and what further such programmes are planned in the next 12 months.

Ann Keen: Awareness of the risk of chronic kidney disease is being raised as part of the NHS Health Checks programme and we are also developing a patient information leaflet on identifying unhealthy kidneys, which could lead to earlier identification of chronic kidney disease. This information will be made widely available.
	There is also information on knowing the symptoms of kidney disease including a self-assessment tool on the NHS Choices website which can be found at:
	www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Kidneydisease.aspx

Local Involvement Networks: Stoke-on-Trent

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has evaluated the  (a) selection criteria for,  (b) level of expertise of and  (c) relevant interests of the Local Involvement Networks executive board in Stoke-on-Trent; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the resources available to the board to carry out its functions; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: No evaluation or assessment has been made of the Stoke-on-Trent Local Involvement Network (LINk) executive board, or the adequacy of resources available. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 put a duty on local authorities with social services responsibilities to establish LINks in their area from 1 April 2008. LINks are independent and have the power to develop their own priorities, agendas and governance arrangements. The Stoke-on-Trent LINk management board is elected by the members of the LINk. The Department has issued a range of guidance to support LINks, their hosts, and local authorities in this new role and provides the funding for LINks (currently 84 million for 2008-09 to 2010-11), the vast majority of which goes directly to local authorities. The level of the local authority contribution to the LINk is a matter for individual councils. As part of its annual reporting to the Secretary of State, an individual LINk is asked to declare the amount of funding made available to it in order that it might carry out its duties. The Department has not yet received the annual report from Stoke-on-Trent LINk.

Medical Treatments: Pain

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors his Department has identified as increasing the likelihood of patients in intensive care not receiving treatment for pain; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of such patients with untreated pain.

Mike O'Brien: It is the responsibility of all national health service trusts and independent sector hospitals that provide intensive care services to ensure, through their clinical governance arrangements, that the pain that may be experienced by critically ill patients is managed appropriately, effectively and sensitively.
	Consistent with their professional discipline and grade, all clinicians working in intensive care locations are expected, to be trained and competent in the delivery of strategies to minimize the incidence of pain. All critical care services should be led by doctors with specialist training in intensive care medicine and it is recommended that all medical consultants in intensive care medicine should possess the relevant competencies recommended by the Royal Colleges and the Intensive Care Society. These include the management of pain and pain relieving strategies.

Medical Treatments: Pain

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients in intensive care units reported experiencing untreated pain during a hospital stay in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

NHS: Finance

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings have been recorded by each primary care trust in England as a result of the national re-organisation in 2006; and how those savings have been achieved.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	The figures represent the total annualised value of savings achieved by primary care trusts (PCTs) during the two year period 2006-07 and 2007-08 in relation to the Commissioning a Patient-led NHS (CPLNHS) programme.
	In addition to the 198 million savings achieved by PCTs, strategic health authorities (SHAs) achieved total savings of 58 million over the same two year period, giving total recurrent savings of 257 million. This exceeded the NHS' target of achieving 250 million in recurrent savings by the end of the two-year programme.
	
		
			  Total annualised savings 2006-07 and 2007-08 
			  Name  000 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 1,304 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 760 
			 Barnet PCT 1,205 
			 Barnsley PCT 602 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 266 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 0 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 0 
			 Berkshire East PCT 1,551 
			 Berkshire West PCT 1,633 
			 Bexley NHS Care trust PCT 848 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 1,518 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 0 
			 Blackpool PCT 0 
			 Bolton PCT 1,033 
			 Bournemouth and Poole PCT 942 
			 Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 1,959 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 1,372 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 949 
			 Bristol PCT 425 
			 Bromley PCT 1,174 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 1,200 
			 Bury PCT 651 
			 Calderdale PCT 100 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 1,737 
			 Camden PCT 1,004 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 2,000 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 3,535 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 1,200 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 1,220 
			 County Durham PCT 1,780 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 820 
			 Croydon PCT 1,351 
			 Cumbria PCT 1,869 
			 Darlington PCT 320 
			 Derby City PCT 1,053 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 1,711 
			 Devon PCT 3,010 
			 Doncaster PCT 1,315 
			 Dorset PCT 1,356 
			 Dudley PCT 1,016 
			 Ealing PCT 1,410 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 0 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 540 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 1,292 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 515 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 3,600 
			 Enfield PCT0 1,191 
			 Gateshead PCT 902 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 750 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 1,433 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 1,141 
			 Halton and St. Helens PCT 1,846 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 810 
			 Hampshire PCT 6,797 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 991 
			 Harrow PCT 780 
			 Hartlepool PCT 366 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 659 
			 Havering PCT 1,100 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 1,165 
			 Herefordshire PCT 225 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 1,217 
			 Hillingdon PCT 18,525 
			 Hounslow PCT 974 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 1,878 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 382 
			 Islington PCT 910 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 791 
			 Kingston PCT 600 
			 Kirklees PCT 1,444 
			 Knowsley PCT 384 
			 Lambeth PCT 1,424 
			 Leeds PCT 3,398 
			 Leicester City PCT 1,150 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 2,557 
			 Lewisham PCT 1,200 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 2,399 
			 Liverpool PCT 2,569 
			 Luton PCT 0 
			 Manchester PCT 3,445 
			 Medway PCT 332 
			 Mid Essex PCT 814 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 588 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 0 
			 Newcastle PCT 1,190 
			 Newham PCT 1,305 
			 Norfolk PCT 2,200 
			 North East Essex PCT 346 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus PCT 600 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,339 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 407 
			 North Somerset PCT 0 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 777 
			 North Tees PCT 645 
			 North Tyneside PCT 860 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 2,772 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 2,121 
			 Northumberland Care PCT 1,250 
			 Nottingham City PCT 510 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 3,321 
			 Oldham PCT 259 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 2,400 
			 Peterborough PCT 344 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 465 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 0 
			 Redbridge PCT 883 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 502 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 608 
			 Rotherham PCT 730 
			 Salford PCT 827 
			 Sandwell PCT 1,183 
			 Sefton PCT 1,703 
			 Sheffield PCT 3,017 
			 Shropshire County PCT 862 
			 Solihull NHS Care Trust PCT 700 
			 Somerset PCT 1,899 
			 South Birmingham PCT 1,207 
			 South East Essex PCT 1,293 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 373 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 1,610 
			 South Tyneside PCT 713 
			 South West Essex PCT 1,000 
			 Southampton City PCT 240 
			 Southwark PCT 1,420 
			 Stockport PCT 753 
			 Stoke-on-Trent PCT 982 
			 Suffolk PCT 2,000 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 1,285 
			 Surrey PCT 5,256 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,368 
			 Swindon PCT 327 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 1,037 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 514 
			 Torbay Care PCT 0 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 1,123 
			 Trafford PCT 941 
			 Wakefield District PCT 449 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 954 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 900 
			 Wandsworth PCT 758 
			 Warrington PCT 461 
			 Warwickshire PCT 2,000 
			 West Essex PCT 4 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 0 
			 West Kent PCT 2,332 
			 West Sussex PCT 3,322 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 751 
			 Westminster PCT 920 
			 Wiltshire PCT 1,501 
			 Wirral PCT 1,000 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 920 
			 Worcestershire PCT 2,136 
			 Total 198,158 
			  Source:  2007-08 audited summarisation schedules.

NHS: Standards

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times an NHS organisation has assessed itself as compliant with a core standard but been found by the Care Quality Commission to be non-compliant in the last three years; and which  (a) NHS organisation and  (b) core standard was concerned in each such instance.

Mike O'Brien: In the last three years of assessment the Healthcare Commission adjusted 369 declarations for individual core standards; 0.6 per cent. of the total submitted. A table showing declarations adjusted has been placed in the Library.

Queen Mary's Sidcup Hospital NHS Trust: Accident and Emergency Departments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the closure of the Accident and Emergency Department at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup.

Mike O'Brien: The South London Healthcare NHS Trust is responsible for this issue and have indicated to us that they will publish the implementation plans for A Picture of Health by the end of July. These plans will include a timetable for the service changes that will take place at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, including the phased closure of Accident and Emergency, and the development of an Urgent Care Centre.

Sick Leave: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of  (a) absence and  (b) absence resulting from injury at work was amongst those social service employees for which his Department is responsible in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of such absences; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Information on absence rates among social service staff is not held centrally by the Department.
	It is the responsibility of local employers to collect information on absence rates among their employees.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many courses of antivirals have been dispensed for the treatment of swine flu; and how many of these have been given to  (a) patients with swine flu and  (b) contacts of patients with swine influenza as prophylaxis.

Gillian Merron: As at 2 July 2009, data from the Health Protection Agency's fluzone database showed that:
	the number of antivirals dispensed to patients with swine flu influenza was 6,138; and
	the number of antivirals dispensed to contacts of patients with swine influenza as prophylaxis was 10,363.

Treatment Centres: Hygiene

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects all NHS and independent sector treatment centres to be compliant with the provisions of the EU Directive on Medical Devices in relation to the sterilisation of surgical instruments.

Mike O'Brien: Both national health service and independent sector treatment centres are required to comply with the provisions of the EU Medical Devices Directive. This compliance is monitored by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who expect both sectors to have in place action plans where their self-assessments or declarations conclude that there is not full compliance. The CQC will follow up instances where non-compliance is declared or where the CQC has information that there may not be full compliance with standards.

Treatment Centres: Regulation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) NHS and  (b) independent sector treatment centre sterile service departments have been assessed by a notified body under Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency as compliant with the EU Directive on Medical Devices, EU 93/42.

Mike O'Brien: Information on conformity assessments undertaken by UK Notified bodies to the requirements of the EC Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EC is not kept centrally by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Waiting Lists: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average inpatient waiting time for treatment on the NHS was in each primary care trust area in Hemel Hempstead in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The following data shows the average (median) waiting time for elective admissions for primary care trusts (PCTs) in Hertfordshire since 2003 which is the earliest data available.
	Table 2 shows data for the newly-formed West Hertfordshire PCT.
	
		
			  Table 1: Median in - patient waiting time for elective admission, time periods 2003 - 06 (commissioner based) 
			  Weeks 
			   Month ending  March each year 
			  Organisations  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Hertsmere PCT 13.1 11.9 10.7 8.2 
			 Watford and Three Rivers PCT 14.8 10.6 9.8 7.7 
			 Dacorum PCT 12.8 11.0 11.1 8.6 
			 St. Albans and Harpenden PCT 13.0 11.2 10.2 8.0 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are shown for organisations that existed at the time.  2. Inpatient waiting times are measured from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital.  3. The figures show the median waiting times for patients still waiting for admission at the end of the period stated.  4. Hertsmere, Watford and Three Rivers, Dacorum and St. Albans PCTs were combined to form West Hertfordshire PCT.  5. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. In particular, specialties with low numbers waiting are prone to fluctuations in the median. This should be taken into account when interpreting the data.  Source:  Department of Health Waiting List Collections Quarterly Commissioner return and Monthly Monitoring Commissioner (MMRCOM) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Median in - patient waiting time for elective admission, time periods 2007 - 09 (commissioner based) 
			  Weeks 
			Month ending  March each year 
			  Current strategic health authority area  Organisations  2007  2008  2009 
			 East of England West Hertfordshire PCT 7.5 5.6 4.5 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are shown for organisations that existed at the time.  2. Inpatient waiting times are measured from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital.  3. The figures show the median waiting times for patients still waiting for admission at the end of the period stated.  4. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. In particular, specialties with low numbers waiting are prone to fluctuations in the median. This should be taken into account when interpreting the data.  Source:  Department of Health Waiting List Collections Quarterly Commissioner return and MMRCOM.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations his Department has received from businesses on the application of business rates to ports in the last 12 months; and what responses have been made to such representations.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Communities and Local Government has received correspondence from around 40 business contacts, and from 18 MPs, concerning the issues arising from the rating review of ports.
	The Government have responded in writing to all those making representations, and in a number of parliamentary debates this year. In these responses, the Government have made it clear we have introduced legislation enabling all businesses (not just those in ports) facing backdated rates bills of 34 months or more, which meet certain criteria, to enter a schedule of payments to permit payment over up to eight years.

Space Technology

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when the British National Space Centre commissioned a report from Moreton Hall Associates and JRA Technology Ltd into the space licensing regime; what the cost of commissioning the report was; when the report was finalised; what its main findings and recommendations were; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.

David Lammy: The Moreton Hall report was commissioned in February 2005 and presented to the British National Space Centre in June 2005. The cost of the report was 26,100. The report is classified as 'Commercial-in-confidence' and there are no plans to put it in the public domain.
	The list of recommendations from the report is as follows:
	A system for licensing should be retained.
	BNSC should act to establish precise responsibility for sub-orbital manned flight with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and, if necessary, introduce changes to the licensing process and procedures to suit.
	The different classes of satellites and missions should be recognised and addressed in different licence application procedures and fees as detailed in this report.
	Overseas Territories/Crown Dependencies should be permitted to issue their own licences provided that clauses are inserted to ensure that ascent phase third party liability insurance provides cover to UK Government and that the territory indemnifies the UK Government.
	Protocols should be established for each of the territories, with respect to division of responsibility BNSC/Territories for licence application support and licence issue, and guidance notes should be produced for staff.
	In-orbit third party liability insurance should be no longer routinely required. However, BNSC may wish to consider insisting upon TPL insurance if the space object is designed/planned to re-enter. The omission of in-orbit TPL should be kept under review because of the presence of man-made orbit debris that could, in future, be identified.
	With regard to post-separation-pre-orbit phase third party liability, this should be retained, and if possible, be covered by an extension of launch vehicle TPL insurance.
	Research and educational satellites are now exempt from all third party liability indemnities and insurance requirements, and this practice should continue. The UK Government must be fully aware that they have unlimited liability for third party damages which may be incurred by these satellites.
	BNSC should propose the establishment of protocols for proportional sharing of liability where more than one state is classified as Launching State within the meaning of the UN treaties/conventions.
	Consideration should be given to establishing a simple bilateral recognition of other nations' safety evaluations and licensing procedures.
	Consideration should be given on taking an active part (i.e. even leadership role) in the EU/ESA licence harmonisation process.
	With respect to the Human Rights Act, no changes to the existing or herein proposed licence procedures are recommended; however, it should be clearly understood that if the SoS wishes to refuse a licence, there must be strong grounds for so doing, such as national security/threatened safety of persons, not in public interest (if strong enough).
	BNSC should take the lead in establishing clear protocols for resolving quickly any disagreements as to responsibilities between Government Departments in respect of space activities.
	The division of responsibility vis--vis BNSC/Ofcom for Radio Frequency aspects of satellite missions is well-established and no further action is required.
	De-orbiting strategies should be required and included in the licence terms. Further, ensure that they are compatible with the emerging International Office for Standardisation (ISO) standards.
	Earth Observing mission licences should include a requirement on licensees to comply with 1986 Principles relating to Remote Sensing of Earth.
	In the secondary register, where ownership has changed, it should be recorded that change of liability has similarly been transferred (if it has) and to which state.
	To ensure the proper notification of orbit changes to the UN, some form of regular monitoring of licensee's activities must be established.
	BNSC should ratify, and fully implement, a revised auditable licensing process, addressing through-life monitoring, as identified in this report.
	The process, supporting procedures and forms, should be documented and disseminated in the form of updated notes for the guidance of staff and applicants (two sets).
	Procedures, methodologies and associated acceptance criteria for the safety evaluation should be defined in more detail as outlined in this report.
	The safety evaluation contractor should be given the added responsibility of development and maintenance of a database of acceptance criteria and relevant best practice and international standards.
	The responsibility for the debris-collision risk assessment at time of application may be transferred to the applicants either to undertake themselves, or via a service company.
	Debris-collision risk assessment should be undertaken as part of the through-life monitoring function/responsibility, and these may be delegated to the operator (by wider dissemination of the debris-collision risk assessment model). In addition, measures should be implemented to ensure the debris data content of the debris-collision risk assessment tool be maintained as current.
	Applicants who have supplied comprehensive insurance briefing packages should make BNSC aware of the detailed table of contents as soon as possible, as the information therein may well provide adequate responses to the safety evaluation questions.
	BNSC should give considerations to the revision of the fee structure as indicated in this report.
	BNSC should give consideration to delegation of responsibility for elements of the licence application process as indicated in this report. In particular, a new role of Safety Licence Support Contractor should be considered, and, if agreed, may be competed for by appropriately qualified organisations.
	The role of safety evaluation and maintenance of safety standards may be competed for by appropriately qualified organisations.
	The BNSC website should be revised to provide enhanced guidance to applicants and links to relevant documents and standards as outlined in this report.
	Changes should also be made to the licence application form on the site as detailed in this report.

TREASURY

Andrew Hudson

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what remuneration package Mr Andrew Hudson will receive in his capacity as his Department's Managing Director (Public Services and Growth Directorate).

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Government Departments report annually on the remuneration of senior managers in their Resource Accounts.
	Andrew Hudson was appointed as a senior manager at HM Treasury on 30 March 2009. Details of his remuneration will be included in HM Treasury's Resource Accounts for 2008-09 and future years.

Departmental Correspondence

Alistair Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of letters to his Department from hon. Members' parliamentary offices were answered within 30 days of the date of receipt in each quarter from January 2008 to March 2009.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of departments in replying to Members' correspondence. The report for 2008 was published on 2 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 80-86WS.

Departmental Databases

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information databases his Department  (a) maintains and  (b) uses which do not contain personal information.

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database become operational; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the then Exchequer Secretary to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 349W. There are a number of databases maintained by the Department and its agencies that contain personal data, most of them related to staff. Those that are managed by the Treasury and its agencies and contain personal information on members of the public are Financial Sanctions (operational since October 2007), Gilts Register (December 2004) and DMO Job Applicants (2004).

Fuels

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many litres of illegal fuel have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Figures for fuel seizures are published in HMRC Autumn Performance Reports, available on the HMRC website at
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm.

Inheritance Tax

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account the Valuation Office Agency takes of the effect of flooding of the market in assessing the value of a property for the purposes of inheritance tax.

Stephen Timms: The value of a property for inheritance purposes is the price that it might reasonably be expected to fetch if sold on the open market, which will fully reflect the state of the market at that particular time.
	However section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 contains specific provisions to ensure that the value of property within a large estate is not reduced on account of all the property being placed on the market at the same time.

Non-Domestic Rates

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Valuation Office Agency forms VO6403 have been  (a) sent out and  (b) returned as part of the 2010 business rates revaluation.

Stephen Timms: Form VO6403 is an internal form used to record information when inspecting licensed property. It is not sent out to ratepayers. A full list of forms used to request information from ratepayers is published on the Valuation Office Agency website at:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/business_rates/List-of-Forms-Requesting-Information.htm

Students: Loans

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money HM Revenue and Customs has deducted from individuals' salaries on behalf of the Student Loans Company in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 7 July 2009
	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) collect Student Loan repayments for Income Contingent Loans via PAYE and Self-Assessment (SA) on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The amount of Student Loan repayments reported to the Student Loans Company in each of the previous three years are:
	
		
			  Student loan repayments processed by tax year 
			   
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 PAYE 266,422,888 382,664,259 584,031,106 
			 SA 12,570,060 16,783,566 30,947,313 
			 Total 278,992,948 399,447,825 614,978,419 
		
	
	These amounts include some deductions for previous years which have been reported in the tax years above. In certain circumstances, the amounts due to HMRC are received after they have been reported. These repayments are included in the table.
	The amount of Student Loan repayments is increasing over time due to the increase in the number of graduates who have taken up Income Contingent Loans and have entered employment.

Taxation: Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what key performance indicators the Valuation Office Agency has in relation to improving the cost-yield ratio for capital gains tax.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency does not have a key performance indicator to improve the cost-yield ratio for capital gains tax but one of its targets is to improve value for money on capital gains tax work for HMRC by 5 per cent. This is measured by comparing the Agency's costs with the estimated tax achieved.

Taxation: Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Valuation Office Agency is taking to increase the cost-yield ratio from inheritance tax.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency considers valuations submitted by taxpayers for inheritance tax purposes in accordance with long standing legislative rules and procedures. The Agency is reducing the cost of the resources that it uses on these cases, as measured by the cost yield ratio. The aim is to spend less time on those valuations that do not require any adjustment and to focus on those that do, so that the amount of tax properly due is paid.

Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1049W, on Valuation Office Agency, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the project board overseeing the installation of a geographic information system.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) on 30 June 2009,  Official Report, column 210W.

Valuation Office: Contracts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information technology contracts were entered into by the Valuation Office Agency or its representatives on its behalf between May 2001 and May 2006.

Stephen Timms: The primary ICT contracts for the VOA are via the HMRC Aspire and Sprint contracts effective from July 2004 and October 2005 respectively; the majority of 3(rd) party procurement is through these existing contract frameworks. In the preceding years, the primary ICT contracts were via the HMRC Eagle and eIROS contract frameworks.
	A small system contract has been entered into separately:
	Development and maintenance of time recording and case management system (TRACS software (including Panasonic data (barcode) scanners)) with TMS.

Valuation Office: Contracts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 542W, on the Valuation Office: ICT, for what purposes the Valuation Office Agency's Sprint contract was entered into; and what the terms are of that contract.

Stephen Timms: Sprint is a framework agreement contract awarded in 2005 by HMRC to Specialist Computer Centres plc. (SCC) and Dataserv CES Ltd. for the supply of information technology, telecommunications and audio visual and related supplies and services. The agency is a participating authority to that contract.

Valuation Office: Geographical Information System

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the scale is of the mapping data that will be held in the Valuation Office Agency's new geographical information system.

Stephen Timms: The geographical information system will use the Ordnance Survey standard MasterMap topography product.
	For cartographic representation, the scale of the mapping data within the geographical information system will range from 1:1250 to 1:250,000.

Valuation: Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methodology is used by the Valuation Office Agency to allocate a TQ value significant code to a dwelling; and whether a maximum level of traffic has been set for the allocation of that code.

Stephen Timms: The value significant code TQ may be used where a property is located in a particularly quiet road, to the extent that this will affect the value of the property. There is no maximum level of traffic set for the allocation of this codeit is a matter of local knowledge and judgment. General guidance on the use of all its dwelling house codes is published on the VOA's website at:
	www.voa.gov.uk/publications/dwellinghousecodingguide/files/contents.htm

Valuation: Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many domestic dwellings were valued by the Valuation Office Agency for  (a) inheritance tax and  (b) capital gains tax purposes in England in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: This information cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
	In 2008-09 the VOA gave advice in 21,480 IHT cases and approximately 15,996 CGT cases. The majority of the IHT cases relate to dwellings but some also include non-domestic land and buildings. A lesser proportion of CGT cases also relate to dwellings.

Valuation: Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to Baroness Warsi of 12 May 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, column 192WA, on housing: valuations, what factors are taken into account by the Valuation Office Agency when deciding whether to allocate a dwelling with a NA (Quality - atypical for Group or Type) value significant code.

Stephen Timms: The value significant code NA may be used where the quality of the property is considered to be significantly better or worse than properties of a similar style or type, to the extent that this will affect the value of the property. The Valuation Office Agency does not provide specific guidance to its staff on when to use the codeit is a matter of local knowledge and judgment. Guidance on the use of all its dwelling-house codes is published on the VOA's website at:
	www.voa.gov.uk/publications/dwellinghousecodingguide/files/contents.htm

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Databases

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information databases his Department  (a) maintain and  (b) uses which do not contain personal information.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development maintains a number of computer databases for internal administration purposes, in the following business areas:
	The central Human Resources (HR) systems support staff recruitment, administration, payroll and performance, and contain personal information on members of DFID staff. Payroll systems in use by overseas offices contain personal information about locally engaged staff.
	Financial and Projects systems (ARIES, MIS and Coda) are used for administration of projects and accounts. These databases contain DFID suppliers and customers' contact and bank details.
	The Overseas Pensions system supports administration and payment of pensions to former colonial servants. This database contains personal, bank and payment data on former colonial servants.
	The Electronic Document and Records Management System (Quest) provides a repository for all documents and correspondence. A small number of documents containing personal information are held in secure areas.
	Correspondence systems enable tracking of parliamentary and public correspondence. These systems contain names and contact details of correspondents.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database become operational; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) manages the following databases that contain personal information on members of the public:
	Financial and Projects systems (ARIES, MIS and Coda) are used for administration of projects and accounts. These databases contain DFID suppliers and customers' contact and bank details. The MIS and Coda systems became operational in February 1998; the ARIES system that replaces them became operational in November 2007.
	The Overseas Pensions system supports administration and payment of pensions to former colonial servants. This database contains personal, bank and payment data on former colonial servants, and became operational in February 1998.
	Correspondence systems enable tracking of parliamentary and public correspondence. These systems contain names and contact details of correspondents and became operational in December 1999.

India: Overseas Aid

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has allocated to the Orissa region of India in the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the effects of that assistance on the Adivasi population.

Michael Foster: Through its state programme, the Department for International Development (DFID) has spent 124 million in Orissa over the last five years (2004-09). In addition, Orissa has benefited from DFID's support to national level programmes and to civil society: an estimated 4.5 million in the year 2008-09, with comparable expenditure in each of the previous years.
	Two DFID programmes directly address poverty among the Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis) in Orissa. The Western Orissa Rural Livelihoods Project, aims to benefit 725,000 poor people, including 140,000 belonging to Scheduled Tribes. A recent independent review found that so far 31 per cent. of those targeted have moved out of poverty. The second programme, the Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP), co-funded with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, aims to benefit 1.7 million people, including 315,000 Scheduled Tribe people. An independent review of the programme found that so far food security has improved in 67,500 households, safe drinking water has been provided to 47,625 households and 15,134 families have benefited from paid employment.
	DFID also provides major support to the health sector across Orissa. This benefits all people in the state including the tribal population.

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations have managed each project funded by his Department in the North Western Frontier Province of Pakistan since 2005; what the budget for each such project was; and how much his Department has spent on each such project to date.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has supported the following projects in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan since 2005.
	
		
			  North West Frontier Province 
			   million 
			  Programme  Implementing agency  Commitment  Spend to date 
			 NWFP Education Programme Government of NWFP 13.8 13.6 
			 NWFP Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project Government of NWFP/Sarhad 7.3 6.89 
			 NWFP Provincial Reforms Programme Government of NWFP 6.8 2.32 
			 Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme Government of Pakistan (ERRA) 35 28.5 
			 Earthquake Humanitarian Support Programme UN/ICRC/NGOs 26.5 26.5 
			 Humanitarian Support for people displaced by conflict UN/ICRC 22 12 
			 NWFP Primary Education Project Government of NWFP 6.75 6.45 
			 NWFP Sarhad Project Sarhad 1.12 1.09 
		
	
	DFID has also supported the following nationwide programmes, which have helped provide services in NWFP as well as other parts of Pakistan:
	
		
			  Pakistan 
			  Programme  Implementing agency  Commitment ( million) 
			 National Health and Population Facility Ministry of Health 100 
			 Polio Eradication Initiative WHO/UNICEF 31 
			 Maternal and Newborn Health Initiative Ministry of Health 91 
			 Achieving Universal Access to Control HIV/AIDS Ministry of Health (World Bank Trust Fund) 5.9 
			 Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) RSPN 11 
			 Financial Inclusion Programme State Bank of Pakistan 50

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds his Department has allocated to organisations in the Swat, Dir, Malakand and Buner regions working with internally displaced persons following the Pakistani government's military action against the Swat region.

Michael Foster: There is limited access to the Swat, Dir, Malakand and Buner regions because of continued military operations and insecurity. The Department for International Development (DFID) is helping those who have been displaced from these districts in camps and host communities in neighbouring areas such as Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar and Nowshera.
	DFID has committed a total of 22 million of humanitarian aid in response to this crisis, making us the second largest donor. Our funds are being used by international humanitarian agencies to meet critical needs. In total, DFID is funding 12 non-governmental organisations and eight United Nations' agencies as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross. Our support is being used to provide shelter, food, water, sanitation, health care and protection for the most vulnerable, such as children.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Better Regulation Unit

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on its Better Regulation Unit in each year since its inception.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families' (and predecessor Departments') Better Regulation Unit (BRU) has been operating since 1997. The current annual cost of salaries and overheads is 132,296.
	Delivering value for money and better regulation are central to the work of the Department. The Department's BRU, which has never exceeded three members of staff since its inception in 1997, is part of a central corporate services function which ensures we gain maximum value for the taxpayer's money. Records separating the cost of different sections within the corporate services operation back to 1997 are not kept, but the total cost of the operation has been included in each year's Departmental Report.

Care Homes

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many residential places there are for children in  (a) local authority residential homes,  (b) foster homes,  (c) local authority secure accommodation and  (d) Home Office secure accommodation.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of places in local authority residential homes in part  (a) has been provided by Ofsted. There are 745 active local authority residential homes registered in England, consisting of boarding schools, children's homes, further education colleges and residential special schools, collectively offering a maximum of 9,235 registered places. Table A provides a breakdown of the maximum number of registered places according to their provision type.
	
		
			  Table A: Number of local authority residential homes in England (consisting of boarding schools, children's homes, further education colleges and residential special schools) as at 31 March 2009 
			  Provision Type  Number of providers  Maximum number of places( 1) 
			 Boarding School 26 2,550 
			 Children's Home 596 3,978 
			 Further Education College 11 591 
			 Residential Special School 112 2,116 
			 Total 745 9,235 
			 (1) The maximum number of registered places is calculated from figures held by Ofsted. Where these data are missing, the number of places has been estimated based on the national average for the provision type and sector at that point in time. Here there were 21 out of the 745 providers where places were estimated (2.8 per cent. of total places). Of these, 20 providers (378 places) were from Residential Special Schools (17.9 per cent. of RSS), with one provider (seven places) from a Children's Home (0.2 per cent. of CH). Where a provider's sector is unknown, the maximum number of places is estimated using only the national average for that provision type.  Note: All data have been extracted from the Regulatory Support Application (RSA) database taken on 1 of April 2009. 
		
	
	Information on the number of foster homes places in part  (b) is not held centrally by the Department.
	Information on the number of places approved in local authority secure children's homes, requested in part  (c) can be found in our publication 'Children Accommodated in Secure Children's Homes at 31 March 2008: England and Wales', which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000802/index.shtml
	At 31 March 2008, there were 340 approved places in the 19 secure children's homes open in England and Wales.
	Information on the number of places in Home Office secure accommodation in part  (d) has been provided by the Joint Youth Justice Unit and consists of 3,007 places in Young Offender Institutions and 301 places in Secure Training Centres.

Children: Databases

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people have requested the name of one of their children to be removed from the ContactPoint database since the database was introduced.

Dawn Primarolo: The inclusion of all children and young people in England is a legal requirement of ContactPoint and its purpose could never be achieved through a consent-based or opt-out system. Including all children avoids the potential stigma that a targeted directory could have. The information on ContactPoint is very limited and it is proportionate to hold this information for all children rather than having to continuously make and review threshold decisions as vulnerable children's circumstances change over time. It is also important and appropriate to cover every child in England because any child or young person could require the support of additional services at any time. It is not possible to predict accurately in advance which children will have additional needsestimates show that 3-4 million children and young people will need additional targeted and specialist services at any one point in time and 5-6 million will have such needs at some point throughout their childhood. We need a universal approach because we do not know, or cannot readily predict, who they may be, or when their needs may arise.
	All children have a right to the universal services of education and primary health care. ContactPoint will show whether or not they are receiving those services. ContactPoint will also support local authorities to identify children not in receipt of universal services.
	They have duties, for example, to identify children missing education. Only a universal system can do this.
	Since the introduction of ContactPoint in January 2009 the DCSF has received 58 requests via correspondence from parents to have their child's details removed from the ContactPoint database.
	We are not aware of the numbers of requests made direct to local authorities.

Children: Databases

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people have been convicted of an offence related to misuse of information on the ContactPoint database.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been no convictions related to misuse of the ContactPoint.
	ContactPoint is designed, built, operated and managed to HM Government standards for security and complies with the strict controls imposed by HM Government security policy. Before being granted access, all users must have completed identity checks, enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosure (renewable every three years) and mandatory training which covers the importance of security and good security practice, the Data Protection Act and Human Rights Act. Users will also be members of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Scheme when it is introduced.
	Every access to a child's record is detailed in the audit trail. This is regularly reviewed to ensure that any misuse is detected and investigated.
	ContactPoint training and guidance will also alert users that any misuse will lead to an immediate investigation, disciplinary procedures and criminal sanctions where appropriate. Criminal sanctions include fines under the Data Protection Act 1998 and fines or imprisonment under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

Children: Emigration

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen the rights of parents resident in England seeking to challenge leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the effects on the well-being of families of the use of leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the effects of successful leave to remove applications on the well-being of the  (a) children subject to the application and  (b) parent remaining in the UK;
	(4)  if he will make it his policy not to recognise leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  whether his Department takes steps to monitor the welfare of those children who have been the subject of successful leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  what information he holds for benchmarking purposes on the policies of the  (a) US and  (b) New Zealand government on leave to remove applications.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department currently has no plans to consider not recognising leave to remove applications or to strengthen the rights of those seeking to challenge leave to remove applications.
	The Children Act 1989 ensures that any decision regarding a child or young person will be made in the child's best interests and his or her long and short-term welfare will be fully considered before any decisions, including leave to remove application, are taken. Following a successful removal the welfare of the child will be safeguarded by the country in which the child is resident.
	The Department has not undertaken any recent research or benchmarking comparison into the effect on the family or the child where there has been a leave to remove application.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to issue guidance to local authorities on the new framework for the integrated children's system.

Dawn Primarolo: On 22 June Directors of Children's Services received a ministerial letter setting out the actions we will take to facilitate immediate improvements in local systems and to support local authorities in doing so. This letter was accompanied by a circular which sets out the immediate and longer term practical steps that we will take, and establishes the new principles which will guide future development of the Integrated Children's System. A copy has been placed in the House Libraries.

Children: Sight Impaired

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the eye health of children under the age of 16 years of prolonged exposure to television and computer screens.

Diana Johnson: The Department has not made any assessment of the affect of prolonged exposure to television and computer schemes. However the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) do offer advice on the impact of computer screens or monitors (Visual Display Units) on eye health on their website:
	Extensive research has found no evidence that VDUs can cause disease or permanent damage to eyes. But long spells of VDU work can lead to tired eyes and discomfort. Also, by giving your eyes more demanding tasks, it might make you aware of an eyesight problem you had not noticed before. You and your employer can help your eyes by ensuring your VDU is well positioned and properly adjusted, and that the workplace lighting is suitable. Ask for an eye test if you still think there is a problem.

Children's Play: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding his Department has allocated for children's play schemes in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in 2009-10.

Vernon Coaker: Essex began receiving play funding from April 2009, as part of the second wave of the children's plan play capital investment programme. The authority has been allocated 545,655 capital funding and 27,681 revenue funding for 2009-10.
	This capital investment programme will provide capital and revenue funding to every one of the 152 top-tier local authorities in England in order to develop/improve play spaces. Decisions on where the capital funding is spent within local authority boundaries are taken locally, based on providing improved play spaces where they are most needed and involving a robust consultation process with local children and young people, families and wider communities.

Day Care

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assistance his Department provides for parents returning to work in respect of day care.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government provide a wide range of child care support for parents returning to work:
	The child care element of working tax credits provides help with child care for low and middle income working families. Parents working 16 or more hours per week can claim up to 140 per week for one child or 240 per week for two or more children.
	From 2006 all parents have also been able to take tax and NIC exempt child care vouchers worth up to 55 week from their salary, if their employer is signed up to offer the scheme.
	The Free Entitlement for three and four-year-olds is available to every family, whether or not they are in work. Every child is eligible for a free place for 12.5 hours per week, for 38 weeks of the year, from the term after their third birthday until they go to school. Almost 95 per cent. of three-year-olds and virtually all four-year-olds accessed at least some of their free place in 2009.
	We are currently rolling out an extension to 15 hours, which will be available across the country from September 2010. And, we are building on the universal entitlement for three and four-year-olds by making early years provision for four-year-olds more generous. From autumn 2011, to make sure children have the best start to their primary education, all children will be entitled to start school in the September after their fourth birthday, or be offered 25 hours of free early learning a week.
	Extended services in and around schools offer opportunities for families with school-aged children to access regular and reliable child care and enriching activities. There are currently over 17,000 extended schools (around 81 per cent. of the total) and we are working to ensure that all schools are offering services which are tailored to their community's needs by 2010.
	For those parents training in order to return to work, Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work, started nationally in April 2009. It offers free child care for 50,000 low-income parents across the country and is aimed at helping families where one parent or partner is working and the other wants to learn or train. Child care support is available to single parents training for work through Jobcentre Plus and Care to Learn offers child care support to parents under the age of 20 who are in training.
	We are also working with HMRC and the London Development Agency to test different ways to deliver support for childcare through tax credits or through supply side funding, so parents in parts of London and the South East may have extra help available to them.
	It is also important that parents have access to enough information to be able to make choices about their children's care and what will work best for them and their children as they return to work. That is why we operate a free national telephone helpline for child care, have established over 3,000 Sure Start Children's Centres across the country, offering integrated services and information for families with children under five years old, and ensure that every local authority offers advice and information to parents of children of all ages, most commonly through Families Information Services.

Departmental Advisory Bodies, Tribunals and Corporations

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the  (a) most recent annual budget,  (b) purpose and  (c) staff complement is of each of his Department's (i) advisory bodies, (ii) tribunals and (iii) corporations.

Diana Johnson: The following answer outlines the  (a) most recent annual budget,  (b) purpose and  (c) staff complement of the each of the Department's (i) advisory bodies, (ii) tribunals and (iii) corporations.
	(i) Advisory Bodies
	 Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group
	 (a) Net annual budget is 0.04 million.
	 (b) The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group is an advisory NDPB which monitors and advises Ministers on the Government's 10-year teenage pregnancy strategy to reduce teenage conceptions and improve support for teenage parents. It is funded through Teenage Pregnancy Programme.
	 (c) The body does not employ any staff.
	 Teachers' TV board of Governors
	 (a) Net annual budget is 0.14 million.
	 (b) The board acts as a high-powered advisory body that informs decisions taken by the Department. The board provides open accountability about the plans and performance of Teachers TV to the channel's audience, stakeholders and to the public. The board upholds the editorial independence of Teachers TV; ensures that the channel supplier adopts the best practices of a UK public service broadcaster; advises the Department on ways that Teachers TV could develop so that it best meets the need of its audience; approves the supplier's Statement of Content Policy; helps ensure the Teachers TV supplier is held accountable for the public funds it receives via an annual performance review; and acts as an ambassador for the service.
	 (c) The board is supported by one FTE employed by the Department.
	 Children's Plan Expert Group
	 (a) The group does not have a dedicated budget.
	 (b) There are three expert groups (ages 0-7, 8-13, and 14-19) whose remit will be to look at services and policies affecting children, young people and families and to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on how best to deliver his long-term objectives to:
	Improve the health and well-being of children and young people.
	Safeguard the young and vulnerable.
	Close the gap in educational achievement between those from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers.
	'Raise our game' on raising standards.
	Increase post-16 participation and attainment.
	Increase the number of children and young people on the path to success.
	 (c) The group does not employ any staff.
	 Information Standards Board
	 (a) Net annual budget of 0.74 million.
	 (b) The Information Standards Board (ISB) for education, skills and children's services in England is the system-wide authority for all information and data standards. Its mission is to facilitate information sharing across the system; agree information standards to aid frontline delivery; improve efficiency, reduce costs and minimise bureaucracy. The ISB is designated as an Internal Advisory Committee, but has ministerial authority to make recommendations and approve decisions on behalf of the system.
	 (c) The board does not employ staff directly. A part-time independent Chairman is appointed by the Ministers. A Secretariat of 0.75 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff is provided is provided by the Department. A Technical Support Service of 2.5 FTE is provided under contract.
	 Talent and Enterprise Taskforce
	 (a) The net annual budget is 4 million.
	 (b) The purpose of the Talent and Enterprise Taskforce is to promote the imperative of enabling everyone to discover, develop and apply their talents to fulfil their own aspirations and contribute to Britain's success in the new global economy. The Talent and Enterprise Taskforce is based in the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) but reports through to the cross-government Talent and Enterprise Committee.
	 (c) The taskforce currently employs 4.6 FTE.
	 National Council for Educational Excellence
	 (a) The net annual budget is 0.01 million.
	 (b) The National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) was set up to provide advice to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families about strategy and measures to achieve world-class education performance for all children and young people from birth to age 19. It published its recommendation in October 2008. Since then council members have been working on implementation. Council members act as advocates and champions to transform expectations and aspirations for the education system, and to rally the teaching professions, businesses, the third sector, universities and colleges, schools and parents to raise standards year on year.
	 (c) The council does not employ any staff however currently one FTE co-ordinates its activities.
	 National Young People's Advisory Group
	 (a) The net annual budget is 0.02 million.
	 (b) The purpose of the advisory group is to draw on the expertise of young people's panels across thee country to help consider issues relating to delivery of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds.
	 (c) The advisory group employs one FTE for 10 days and one contractor for 10 days.
	 Children and Youth Board
	 (a) The annual budget is 0.2 million.
	 (b) The Children and Youth Board (CYB) was established in 2004 as part of the 'Every Child Matters' programme, where a commitment was made to enduring the participation of children and young people in shaping services that affect their lives. They provide advice to the Department on policies that affect them.
	 (c) The Children and Youth Board is managed by the National Children's Bureau (NCB) on the Department's behalf. The number of NCB staff involved in managing the CYB is three.
	 Young Muslims Advisory Group
	 (a) The annual budget is 0.25 million.
	 (b) The Young Muslims Advisory Group is a jointly funded project with CLG. The group was established in October 2008 to provide young Muslims in England a platform to directly engage with the Government on the issues affecting them, particularly the causes of violent extremism.
	 (c) OPM is the lead contractor of a consortium supporting CLG and DCSF managing the Young Muslims Advisory Group, with a dedicated project manager providing support throughout the two-year project. There is a seconded youth worker based in CLG who supports the 23 members of YMAG in meeting the aims and objectives of the group. Total number of staff therefore is two (however the group is made up of 23 young people between the ages of 17-25).
	 Child Safety Reference Group
	 (a) The group does not have a dedicated budget.
	 (b) The group was set up to provide advise and challenge the delivery of the improvements outlined in the PSA 13 Delivery Agreement; to provide a view on delivery based on experience at the frontline of service delivery; and to drive delivery through their organisations.
	 (c) The group consists of approximately 30 members.
	(ii) Tribunals
	Currently, the Department is not responsible for any tribunals.
	(iii) Corporations
	 General Teachers Council of England
	 (a) Net annual budget of 18.97 million.
	 (b) The General Teaching Council for England is the independent professional body for teaching in England. It works for children, through teachers, in the interests of the public. It is committed to making sure young people have the best possible standards of learning and achievement. It keeps a register of qualified teachers in England and sets out and enforces standards for the teaching profession in the interests of the public. It provides advice to Government and other agencies on important issues that affect the quality of teaching and learning. It works with teachers to make sure its advice is based on practical experience and reliable research. It brings together teachers and other partners with an interest in the education service, including parents, governors and employers.
	 (c) The staff complement is 206.

Departmental Information Officers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost to his Department of employing  (a) press officers and  (b) other press office staff has been in each year since 1997.

Diana Johnson: The cost of employing staff in the Department's Press Office in 2008/09 was 1,350,713.10. The other requested information was provided in the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 480-81W.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid graduate internships his Department has awarded in each of the last six months.

Diana Johnson: The Department has not appointed any graduate interns in the last six months. The Department, however, has recruited 32 graduate and undergraduate interns whose internships will be starting from 29 June 2009 for six to eight weeks as part of a Cabinet Office internship programme. The Department has also increased its recruitment of graduates this year to support its resourcing needs and provide opportunities for those entering the labour market at this time. The Department is currently recruiting around 80 executive officers and we are targeting graduates as part of this process. In addition to this, around 20 graduates will join the Department in October 2009 as part of the Civil Service Fast Stream.
	The Department also intends to be part of the 'Graduate Talent Pool' programme that has been developed by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Free School Meals: GCSE

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals have been entered for GCSE Latin in each year since 1997.

Diana Johnson: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Gifted Children: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate is of spending by his Department on the gifted and talented programme in each year from 2009-10 to 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The Department has historically spent between 10 to 20 million annually on delivering gifted and talented education. Information on the cost of the contracts to deliver the gifted and talented programme is commercial in confidence. Projected figures after 2011 are not available.

Health Education: Sex

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what factors his Department took into account when determining the age at which sex education becomes compulsory for children.

Diana Johnson: Only certain aspects of sex and relationships education, mainly the biological ones, are compulsory for all children in certain age groups. These are taught as part of the National Science Curriculum. Primary school children in Key Stages 1 and 2 are taught about reproduction, puberty and how a baby is born. In addition we expect schools to have a programme on sex and relationship education (SRE) that is delivered through well planned and non-statutory Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE). We make it clear in our Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (July 2000) to schools that any programme of study must be tailored to the age and the physical and emotional maturity of the children. In early primary schools, SRE should focus on relationships such as friendship, bullying and the building of self-esteem.
	We have announced our intention to make SRE compulsory as part of statutory PSHE, subject to the results of a consultation which the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is currently conducting. If this were to become statutory, schools will be required to provide a comprehensive programme covering both the biological and relationship aspects of SRE.
	This will ensure that as well as receiving factual information, children and young people will have the opportunities to develop the skills they need to deal with the real life situations they face.

Pre-school Education: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much of his Department's 2.4 billion unspent capital funding at the end of the financial year 2008-09 referred to in the National Audit Office's report on financial management in his Department, HC 267, Session 2008-09, had been earmarked for early years capital programmes; for which such programmes such funding was earmarked; and whether that unspent funding will be carried over into future years.

Diana Johnson: The cumulative amount of the Department's unspent capital funding as at the end of the 2008-09 financial year relating to early years capital programmes is 363 million.
	The Programmes that this affects is the delivery of Sure Start Children Centres, early years provision and childcare.
	Unspent capital funding from prior financial years as well as 2008-09, is added to the Department's end of year flexibility (EYF).

Pupils: Special Educational Needs

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of schoolchildren with a special educational need was diagnosed with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The available information for the four latest years (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006) can be found in Table 9 of the following links:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000852/SFR14_2009_M.xls
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000794/SEN_NationalTablesFinal.xls
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000732/sfr20_2007_tables_oh.xls
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000661/SFR23-2006v2.pdf
	The available information for 2005 can be found in Table 18 of the following link
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000584/AdditionalAnalysesv1.2.xls
	Information on type of special educational need is collected only for those pupils with statements of SEN or those at School Action Plus.

Schools

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of maintained schools have identified the social and emotional aspects of learning as a key focus for their work with children; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Our latest figures for the implementation of the social and emotional aspects of learning programme in maintained schools show that 88 per cent. of primary schools and 63 per cent. of secondary schools in England were participating as at June 2009. Last year we set target participation rates for July 2009 of 90 per cent. for primary schools and 45 per cent. of secondary schools.

Schools: Admissions

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will assess the effects of school admissions policies based on residential location on social diversity among school pupils.

Diana Johnson: The Department published a bulletin in 2008 on The Composition of Schools in England which included data at local authority level to enable a comparison to be made between the socio-economic composition of a local authority area and the schools in the same area.

Schools: Admissions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school places there are in  (a) Castle Point,  (b) Thurrock,  (c) Southend and  (d) Essex.

Diana Johnson: holding answer 7 July 2009
	The Department collects information annually from each local authority on the capacity of all maintained mainstream schools, as part of the Surplus Places Survey. The most recent data available relate to the position at January 2008. The following table shows the overall capacity of schools within the constituency of Castle Point and the authorities of Thurrock, Southend and Essex.
	
		
			  Area  Primary school capacity  Secondary school capacity 
			 Castle Point 6,839 7,098 
			 Thurrock 14,996 8,124 
			 Southend 14,121 13,158 
			 Essex 115,979 96,960

Schools: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding from each source fund of his Department's standards funds has been allocated in the last 12 months; and how much such funding he expects to be allocated in the next 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: The following table shows the Standards Fund allocations made to local authorities for 2008-09 and 2009-10 to date.
	
		
			  Standards Fund allocations to local authorities 
			  ( millions) 
			   2008-09  2009-10 
			  Revenue Grants   
			 School Development Grant(1) 1,915.0 1,916.2 
			 School Lunch Grant 78.8 78.8 
			 Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant 184.9 194.0 
			 Targeted Improvement Grant(2) 12.2 4.4 
			 Making Good Progress 7.7 126.6 
			 1-2-1 Tuition and Participation Key Stage 2 early roll out(3) 15.7  
			 Extended SchoolsSustainability 73.5 134.4 
			 Extended Schools Subsidy 7.1 37.8 
			 Targeted Support for the Primary National Strategy 195.8 207.4 
			 Targeted Support for the Secondary National Strategy 109.5 106.3 
			 City Challenge(2) 32.8 3.6 
			 Extending and increasing flexibility of free entitlement for 3 to 4-year-olds 80.0 170.0 
			 Music 82.6 82.5 
			 Playing for Success 12.8 13.1 
			 Key Stage 4 Engagement Programme 17.0 18.5 
			 National Challenge(2) 54.9 0.7 
			 Total Revenue Grants 2,880.2 3,094.6 
			
			  Capital Grants( 4)   
			 Devolved Formula Capital 802.0 1,090.5 
			 Building Schools for the Future (BSF)(5) 635.8 845.9 
			 Primary Capital Programme 143.5 740.2 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)Standards and Diversity 53.6 43.6 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)One School Pathfinders 435.4 329.0 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)Main Programme 170.5 9.5 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)Kitchens 8.3 25.2 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)Cookery in the Curriculum 1.0 27.3 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)14-19 Diploma/SEN  303.0 
			 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF)Specialist Sports Colleges(6)  22.0 
			 Modernisation  300.6 
			 Harnessing Technology 200.8 200.8 
			 Framework Academies(5) 101.3 199.9 
			 Extended Schools (Capital) 84.0 89.0 
			 Miscellaneous Capital 24.8 34.1 
			 Basic Need Safety Valve 22.7 19.3 
			 City Learning Centres 15.8 15.5 
			 Specialist Schools Capital 17.5 3.4 
			 School Travel Plans(7) 15.4  
			 Home Access for Targeted Groups 7 18.0  
			 Total Capital Grants 2,750.3 4,298.9 
			 (1 )Provisional allocation for 2009-10. Subject to change as a result of final pupil numbers. (2 )Further allocations to be made during 2009-10 as projects progress. (3 )Within Making Good Progress from 2009-10. (4 )From October 2009 the Department intends to transfer certain of its operational functions in relation to schools capital funding, including capital grant payments to local authorities, to Partnerships for Schools. (5) Full year spend for 2009-10 could reach 1,010 million (BSF) and 350 million (Framework Academies) if projects in the pipeline reach their expected milestones during the year. (6 )Part of TCF Standards and Diversity programme in 2008-09. (7 )Allocations for 2009-10 yet to be made. (8 )Home Access programme will be not routed through local authorities in 2009-10.

Schools: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding from each source fund of the area-based grant scheme he expects to be allocated in the next 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: The following DCSF funding streams, totalling 1,305,693,127, will be paid as part of the area based grant in the 2009-10 financial year:
	
		
			
			 School Development Grant (LA element) 168,304,785 
			 Extended Schools Start-up Grant 171,887,387 
			 Primary National Strategy (Central Coordination) 29,978,887 
			 Secondary National Strategy (Central Coordination) 29,999,869 
			 Secondary Behaviour and Attendance Central Coordination 13,761,080 
			 School Improvement Partners 23,604,520 
			 Education Health Partnerships 13,210,940 
			 School Travel Advisers 6,874,000 
			 Choice Advisers 5,599,998 
			 School Intervention grant 14,998,900 
			 Flexible 14-19 Partnerships funding 14,499,986 
			 Sustainable Travel to School (General Duty) 3,997,308 
			 Extended Rights to free transport 19,734,979 
			 Connexions 466,732,009 
			 Children's Fund 131,804,428 
			 Positive activities for young people 74,500,037 
			 Teenage pregnancy 27,500,000 
			 Children's Social Care Workforce 18,156,004 
			 Youth Taskforce 4,343,719 
			 Care matters 47,379,999 
			 Child death review process 7,399,995 
			 Child Trust Fund 1,122,023 
			 Substance Misuse 7,002,274 
			 Designated Teacher Funding 3,300,000 
			 Total 1,305,693,127

Science: Primary Education

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to promote the teaching of science in primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The Government have accepted Sir Jim Rose's proposals for a new primary curriculum to come into effect from 2011 which will give schools more flexibility to meet pupils' individual needs and build on prior learning. From January 2010, a support package will be available to help schools and teachers implement the new primary curriculum. The support package is currently being developed in consultation with schools and teachers and will include promoting the effective teaching of science.
	It will also be accompanied by the new Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) materials for primary science which will enable teachers to make judgments about their pupils' attainment against national curriculum levels and inform individual learning to promote improved teaching of science in primary schools and complement the approach taken at secondary schools.
	The national network of Science Learning Centres provides high quality CPD in science for primary and secondary science teachers, teaching assistants and technicians. Primary teachers are also eligible for bursaries to cover the cost of attending professional development courses at the National Science Learning Centre in York.
	The Department has awarded a contract to the Association for Science Education (ASE) to run a support programme to improve the use of practical work in science across primary and secondary schools. The programme builds on the work undertaken by SCORE (Science Community Representing Education) on best practice in this area and aims to provide teachers with innovative, effective advice, guidance, and support regarding the use of practical work in science.

Teaching Methods

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the Statement of 30 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 165-80, on 21st century schools, what criteria he plans to use to identify children who are behind at the end of their primary school education who are to be offered additional tuition at the start of their secondary education; what arrangements will be made for allocating funding to meet expenditure on such tuition; and whether the tuition offered will be in hours outside those provided for the teaching of the secondary school curriculum.

Diana Johnson: Every pupil who leaves primary school at the end of the summer term 2010 without reaching the expected National Curriculum level 4 in either English or mathematics will be guaranteed extra support when they start secondary school through one-to-one or small group catch-up tuition in year 7. Local authorities will be responsible for allocating funding to their secondary schools to support any year 7 pupils who need one-to-one tuition. If pupils are identified for small group tuition or other catch-up support, money has already been included within school budgets up to 2011 to support personalised learning.
	It is up to schools to decide when and how to offer the catch-up tuition. The new secondary curriculum which we began implementing from September last year gives schools more scope to provide catch-up support during the school day if they judge this the most appropriate option for their pupils.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Allotments

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to discourage the  (a) closure and  (b) development for other uses of local authority allotments.

Rosie Winterton: Local authorities are already required under section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925 to obtain consent from the Secretary of State to dispose of statutory allotments. Section 8 applications are considered against criteria set out by the Secretary of State, which require local authorities to ensure that adequate provision is made for displaced allotment holders, that the availability of allotment sites has been actively publicised, and that they have taken into account the number of people on the allotment waiting list as well as latent demand.
	Given the ever increasing demand for allotments, my Department has recently written to the Government office responsible for determining applications for consent for disposal of statutory allotments in England on behalf of the Secretary of State, to stress the need to demand and scrutinise evidence from local authorities to support their applications for allotment disposals.

Audit Commission

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the Audit Commission has for the rebranding of its comprehensive area assessment programme.

Rosie Winterton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to respond to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 8 July 2009:
	Your Parliamentary question on what plans the Audit Commission has for the rebranding of its comprehensive area assessment programme has been passed to me for reply.
	The Audit Commission, Care Quality Commission, HMIs Prisons, Probation and Constabulary, and Ofsted, set out in our published Framework document our aim to develop a user-friendly reporting system for comprehensive area assessments.
	The Framework states that: 'CAA is an important part of assessing and reporting on how well public money is spent, and making sure that local public bodies are accountable to the public for their service quality and impact.'
	We are currently developing a user-friendly format for the reporting of the assessment results. We will be branding our dedicated CAA website 'oneplace'.
	The public launch of the 'oneplace' website, delivered through Directgov, will be in early December. We began to communicate 'oneplace' through our presence at the recent Local Government Association (LGA) conference in Harrogate.
	If you would like a more detailed briefing on our work in this area and the 'oneplace' website, please let me know.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.

City-regional Government

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraph 20, chapter one of the Draft Legislative Programme 2009, Cm 7654, what definition his Department uses of city-regional government.

Rosie Winterton: City-regional government in this context refers to local government working in partnership across a city-region.

Council Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 30 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 7-10WS, on housing, on what date he plans to publish his Department's consultation document on the reform of the council housing finance system; and when he expects the consultation exercise to be completed.

Ian Austin: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing intends to publish the consultation document before the summer recess. The consultation period will be for a minimum of 12 weeks in accordance with the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation.

Council Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the report of the review of council housing finance which began in December 2007 will be published; and what the timetable is for the consultation on council housing finance he plans to launch before the summer recess.

Ian Austin: We will publish a research report alongside the consultation. The consultation period will be for a minimum of 12 weeks in accordance with the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation.

Council Housing: Property Transfer

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will direct a moratorium on large-scale voluntary transfers of local authority housing stock.

Ian Austin: No. The consultation document we will publish shortly on our proposal to devolve council housing finance will include further information on how we might deal with current and future housing transfer proposals.

Council Housing: Standards

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what protections will be provided to local authority tenants on  (a) security of tenure,  (b) rent levels and  (c) improvements to reach the Decent Homes standard under his proposals for the self-financing of council housing.

Ian Austin: The proposals for self-financing would have no impact on the statutory security of tenure enjoyed by council tenants. Nor do they include any proposed changes to the Government's social rent policy. Self-financing would need to deliver the resources required to maintain the Decent Homes standard; any backlog of Decent Homes work at the time of a self-financing settlement would have to be addressed through Communities and Local Government capital programmes, as currently.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much money was raised in gross council tax receipts in England in each year from 1997 to 1998.

Rosie Winterton: The total amount of council tax collected in 1997-98 and 1998-99 was 9.5 billion and 10.5 billion respectively.

Council Tax: Discounts

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average annual change in council tax revenue collected by local authorities exercising their powers to reduce council tax discounts on  (a) second and  (b) empty homes in the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: Details of the average annual change in council tax revenue to be collected by those local authorities that have exercised their powers to reduce council tax discounts on  (a) second and ( b) empty homes in the last three years are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Second homes  Empty homes 
			 2006-07 5.4 5.4 
			 2007-08 5.2 5.1 
			 2008-09 5.0 4.8

Council Tax: Overpayments

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department provides to local authorities in relation to overpayments of council tax.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not provide guidance to local authorities in relation to overpayments of council tax. The administration of council tax is for local authorities, not central Government.

Council Tax: Valuation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Tribunal Service makes an estimate of the number of homes which are  (a) over-valued for council tax purposes and  (b) in too high a council tax band.

Rosie Winterton: The Valuation Tribunal Service makes no such estimates.

Councillors: Allowances

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make it his policy to collate and publish figures for allowances paid to councillors by each local authority.

Rosie Winterton: Local authorities are required to publish the recommendations of their independent remuneration committee for the level of councillors' allowances, the level of allowances for councillors determined by the authority and the actual amount of allowances claimed by councillors.

Councillors: Pensions

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued on levels of  (a) employee and  (b) employer pension contributions in relation to councillors who are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The contribution rate paid by councillors who are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme is set out in the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997. The contribution rate for their authority is set by the actuary appointed to carry out the triennial valuation of the relevant scheme pension fund.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effects of implementation of the proposals in the draft legislative programme 2009 on his Department's budget for the next two years.

John Healey: Communities and Local Government continually assesses the impact of new legislation on both departmental and local government finances for current and future years. Forthcoming legislation for 2009-10 was included in a draft programme published in Building Britain's Future (29 June 2009) and CLG is working with lead Departments to identify costs for inclusion in individual impact assessments for each new Bill.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have included reference to the use of wheelie bins in their annual efficiency reports to his Department.

Rosie Winterton: Annual efficiency statements were submitted by councils for the financial years 2004-05 to 2007-08 inclusive. During that period, the following councils referred to wheelie bins in their statements:
	Ashfield District Council
	Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
	Bassetlaw District Council
	Bedfordshire County Council
	Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
	Brighton and Hove City Council
	Broxtowe Borough Council
	Carlisle City Council
	London Borough of Croydon
	Daventry District Council
	Mansfield District Council
	Mole Valley District Council
	North Lincolnshire Council
	Purbeck District Council
	Reading Borough Council
	Salisbury District Council
	South Cambridgeshire District Council
	South Kesteven District Council
	Southampton City Council
	Thanet District Council
	London Borough of Waltham Forest
	West Lindsey District Council
	Worcester City Council
	Worthing Borough Council

Eco-towns: Construction

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his estimated timetable is for the construction of each eco-town.

John Healey: As we have previously announced, our aim is to see exemplar eco-town projects underway in the next couple of years and up to 10 eco-towns under development by 2020.

Empty Property

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his most recent estimate is of the number of empty dwellings in  (a) England,  (b) the South East,  (c) Hertfordshire and  (d) Hemel Hempstead.

Ian Austin: In October 2008, there were 784,022 empty domestic dwellings in England. Of these, 105,111 were in the South East of England, 11,435 were in Hertfordshire and 1,612 were in the Dacorum council area. Data are not available at constituency level.

Energy Performance Certificates and Home Information Packs

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the average maximum duration of validity of an energy performance certificate for a domestic property.

John Healey: An energy performance certificate (EPC) is valid for 10 years from the date on which it is issued, or until a newer EPC is issued for the building concerned, unless it is to be used as one of the prescribed documents in a home information pack (HIP), which is required to be in place for all residential properties marketed for sale in England and Wales, in which case it will be valid for three years from the date on which it is issued.

Energy Performance Certificates and Home Information Packs

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) energy performance certificates and  (b) home information packs that were purchased in the last 12 months.  [Official Report, 26 November 2009, Vol. 501, c. 15-16MC.]

John Healey: Information about the number of energy performance certificates (EPCs) lodged in England and Wales in both the domestic and non-domestic sectors is available on the EPC register website at:
	www.epcregister.com
	There is no central register for the number of home information packs however we estimate that 1.1 million home information packs have been produced during the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

Energy Performance Certificates and Home Information Packs

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of levels of compliance with duties relating to home information packs (HIPs) by  (a) sellers and  (b) estate agents since the introduction of HIPs.

John Healey: Local authority trading standards offices and the Office of Fair Trading have statutory responsibility for enforcing the home information pack duties through s.166 and s.175 of the Housing Act 2004. The information requested is not held centrally.

Homelessness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were classified by local authorities as intentionally homeless in each of the last 10 years.

Ian Austin: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level.
	Data collected include the number of decisions on applications from households eligible for assistance, who were found by local authorities to be in a priority need category but had become homeless intentionally. Information is not held centrally on the overall number of intentionally homeless households.
	The number of households found to be intentionally homeless and in priority need, in each of the past 10 years, is published in table 1 of the Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness, available on the web and in the Library at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1251698.xls

Housing and Planning Delivery Grant

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effect on local authority budgets for 2009-10 of his Department's decision to reduce housing and planning delivery grant allocations in order to fund changes to local authority rent increases.

Ian Austin: The housing and planning delivery grant (HPDG) allocation was reduced from 160 million to 135 million in 2009-10 and from 250 million to 200 million in 2010-11 in order to balance budgets, including the impact of changes to local authority rent increases. This reflects the decline in housing completions and the lower number of plans being submitted. The baseline of HPDG will still increase significantly, almost doubling to the 200 million figure next year from 101 million in 2008-09.
	The average HPDG allocation to local authorities is therefore budgeted to rise from 254,000 in 2008-09 to 340,000 in 2009-10 and 504,000 in 2010-11.

Housing: Construction

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) local authority and  (b) housing association properties which will be (i) started and (ii) completed before May 2010;
	(2)  pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 30 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 7-10WS, on housing, what estimate he made of the cost of building each new  (a) local authority and  (b) housing association property in order to calculate the numbers of each type to be built.

Ian Austin: The national average total cost of building a new social home has been estimated at around 150,000. All grant funding provided as part of Building Britain's Future will be subject to competitive bidding and is expected to be considerably less than the total cost of providing a new home.
	The details of the number of homes to be started and completed, taking account of the additions announced in Building Britain's Future, will be published in the HCA corporate plan.

Housing: Energy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes classified as energy-efficient have been built in Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: All new homes built in England in the last five years have been required to meet the energy efficiency standards set out in part L of the Building Regulations. The part L standard for new homes was raised by 25 per cent. in 2002 and by a further 20 per cent. in 2006. This requirement will progressively increase leading up to the target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016. The following table shows the total number of new build dwellings in the East of England region for each year from 2004-05 onwards.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 19,890 
			 2005-06 20,250 
			 2006-07 22,560 
			 2007-08 22,230 
			 2008-09 17,680 
		
	
	The Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) provides an energy rating for new dwellings by demonstrating compliance with part L of the Building Regulations. In general, homes built to current part L correspond with SAP ratings of B or C. Some homes are built to exceed minimum regulatory standards, for example as a result of building to the code for sustainable homes.
	SAP is used to generate Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for new build dwellings. From 6 April 2008, it became mandatory to lodge all SAP EPCs for new build dwellings on the England and Wales Domestic EPC Register. In the constituency of Castle Point 19 SAP EPC lodgements were made in 2008 and 11 SAP EPC lodgements have been made in 2009 up to and including 29 June 2009.

Housing: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding the Homes and Communities Agency has allocated to each local authority for 2009-10.

John Healey: Information on the Homes and Communities Agency expenditure, including by local authority area, will be published annually in the Agency's report and accounts.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of housing  (a) starts and  (b) completions under the National Affordable Housing Programme in each region in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11;
	(2)  what targets for housing  (a) starts and  (b) completions under the National Affordable Housing Programme have been set for each region for each of the next three years.

Ian Austin: Communities and Local Government do not set regional targets for the National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP). The details of how the NAHP will be managed, taking account of the Housing Pledge, part of Building Britain's Future, announced on 29 June 2009, will be published in the HCA Corporate Plan shortly.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on  (a) OwnHome,  (b) My Choice HomeBuy and  (c) Open Market HomeBuy schemes in each of the last three years.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) gave him on 21 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1540W.

Infrastructure Planning Commission: Recruitment

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant posts at the Infrastructure Planning Commission are being advertised to civil servants only.

John Healey: None of the permanent vacancies are being confined to civil servants. Recruits are being sought through advertisements in national press, specialist publications and a wide range of media in the Bristol and south west area.

Local Government Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the practice of co-mingling in relation to  (a) local authority investments and  (b) funds from the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Rosie Winterton: No guidance has been issued specifically on co-mingling.
	Within the framework of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 1998, as amended, LGPS administering authorities make their own decisions on pension fund investments and the use of pension fund monies.

Local Government Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Audit Commission plans respond to the Seventh Report of the Communities and Local Government Committee of Session 2008-09, HC 164, on local authority investments.

Rosie Winterton: Yes, the Audit Commission has been invited to make a formal response by the Select Committee on the inquiry into local authority investments and will do so by the required date of 21 September 2009.

Local Government: Contracts

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many procurement contracts have been agreed by  (a) unitary or county councils and  (b) district councils with IBM in the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.

Local Government: Debt Collection

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much and what proportion of the absolute monetary value of each local authority's net collectable debt has not been collected in each year since 1997-98.

Rosie Winterton: Details of the amount of council tax and national non-domestic rates uncollected in cash terms in England in each year since 1997-98 are shown in  millions in the following table. The data relate to the non-collection of council tax and national non-domestic rates within the year to which it relates. The table also shows the amount of uncollected council tax and national non-domestic rates as a proportion of the total amount of council tax and national non-domestic local authorities expected to collect if every taxpayer paid the full amount for which they are liable after discounts and benefit.
	
		
			   Council tax not collected within year ( million)  Council tax not collected as percentage of net collectible debit  National non-domestic rates not collected within year ( million)  National non-domestic rates not collected as percentage of net collectible debt 
			 1997-98 428 4.5 394 3.4 
			 1998-99 463 4.4 387 3.3 
			 1999-2000 501 4.4 350 2.8 
			 2000-01 517 4.2 352 2.6 
			 2001-02 518 3.9 316 2.1 
			 2002-03 531 3.6 281 1.9 
			 2003-04 582 3.5 266 1.7 
			 2004-05 590 3.4 249 1.7 
			 2005-06 592 3.2 269 1.6 
			 2006-07 613 3.1 229 1.3 
			 2007-08 601 2.9 215 1.2 
			 2008-09 636 3.0 423 2.2 
		
	
	Collection of council tax and national non-domestic rates continues once the financial year to which the tax relates has ended. This means that the final amount uncollected is somewhere between the figures shown here and zero.
	The data are derived from data reported on QRC4 forms submitted annually by all billing authorities to Communities and Local Government and its predecessor Departments.

Local Government: Joint Ventures

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the recent judgement of the Court of Appeal in the case of Risk Management Partners United v Council of the London Borough of Brent and others on the establishment of new joint working service ventures.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 30 June 2009,  Official Report, column 196W.

Local Government: Reorganisation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will withdraw plans for unitary local government restructuring in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon.

Rosie Winterton: As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing told the House on 24 February 2009,  Official Report, column 22-24WH, if appropriate unitary structures are identified they have the potential to offer real benefits for the residents of Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk by delivering better services, improved efficiency, stronger strategic leadership and genuine engagement and empowerment of local communities.
	There is strong evidence that the nine new unitary authorities established on 1 April 2009 are already delivering such benefits, and we will therefore carefully consider any advice from the Boundary Committee, which we have requested by 15 July 2009, and intend to take our statutory decisions as to whether to implement any unitary proposals for these three county areas as soon as practicable.

Local Government: Reorganisation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his most recent estimate is of the gross cost to the public purse of the recent round of local government restructuring.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 2 July 2009,  Official Report, column 373W.

Local Government: Standards

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage public satisfaction rate with  (a) household waste collections  and (b) local government as a whole was recorded by the (i) Best Value Survey and (ii) Place Survey in each relevant year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The following tables provide the percentage public satisfaction rate with ( a) household waste collections and  (b) local government as a whole recorded by the BVPI Survey and Place Survey in each relevant year since 1997.
	
		
			  BVPI Survey 
			   Percentage satisfied with the waste collection service overall (BV90a)  Percentage satisfied with the way the authority runs things (BV3) 
			 2000-01 86 65 
			 2003-04 84 55 
			 2006-07 79 54 
		
	
	
		
			  Place S urvey 
			   Percentage satisfied with  refuse collection  Percentage satisfied with  how the council runs things 
			  2008  78  45 
		
	
	Published results from the BVPI surveys are not directly comparable with the results from the Place Survey. The published BVPI national results are averages based on each council's results. The published Place Survey results are weighted totals for all respondents in England.
	The requested information was collected by the BVPI surveys in 2000-01, 2003-04, and 2006-07. The results have been published in a report by Communities and Local Government which is available to download via the following website address:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/bestvalueuser
	Tables 2, 3 and 6 contain the requested information.
	Similar information was collected by the Place Survey in 2008. The results have been published in a statistics release by Communities and Local Government which is available to download via the following website address:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/placesurvey2008
	The requested information can be found on pages 4 and 5.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households have received financial support under the  (a) mortgage rescue scheme and  (b) mortgage homeowners support scheme.

John Healey: The mortgage rescue scheme has been operational across England since January 2009. As part of the monitoring arrangements for the scheme, headline data for January to May 2009, provided by local authorities operating the scheme and broken down by Government office region, are available on the Department's website. The figures can be assessed using the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/mortgagerescuestatistics
	The aim of homeowners mortgage support is to prevent repossessions, where households suffer a temporary income shock. The Government have published an impact assessment, which estimates how many borrowers, at UK level, could be eligible. Official figures on the number of households entering the scheme will be published later this year.
	In the current economic conditions, we have acted rapidly to put in place help and support for households struggling with their mortgage at every stage: from free debt advice when problems start, to free support for cases that reach court. Advice is available to all households struggling with their mortgage, with targeted schemes for those in most need.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeowners are in receipt of assistance under the Homeowner Mortgage Protection Scheme.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Tamworth (Mr. Jenkins) on 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 317W.

National Policy Statements

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable has been set for the publication of  (a) draft and  (b) final national policy statements.

John Healey: The Department for Communities and Local Government published on its website on 27 January a Route Map for implementation of the Infrastructure Planning Commission regime, including the current timetable for preparation of national policy statements which are the responsibility of the lead Departments concerned. Copies are available in the House Library.
	We confirmed in the Route Map that we would discuss the appropriate lead in time for the commencement of the new regime with potential promoters, industry and other interested organisations, and then update it to reflect that process.

Non-domestic Rates

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether firms which are in arrears in their business rate payments will be eligible for the business rate deferral scheme.

Rosie Winterton: Ratepayers in arrears can be granted deferral by billing authorities. However, in cases where a ratepayer has been noticed by their billing authority that they have lost the right to make payments by instalment and that therefore their whole liability has become due, the billing authority can deny them deferral. This will be set out in regulation.
	Billing authorities will have discretion to enter into special payment arrangements with businesses facing financial difficulties, of which the deferral scheme should be seen as an additional tool.

Non-domestic Rates

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the rate of take-up of small business rate relief amongst eligible firms; and on what assumptions on take-up made in the 2008-09 financial year the increase in the multiplier for business rates for medium-sized and large firms was based.

Rosie Winterton: The number of properties reported by local authorities as claiming small business rate relief as at 31 December 2006 was 392,000.
	Local authorities reported that they granted 723 million small business rate relief between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2008. They expect to grant a further 570 million of relief in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
	We have made no recent estimate of the overall take-up rate of Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) as data are not held on the number of firms that are eligible. We asked local authorities to estimate numbers of businesses that were eligible for SBRR in the annual national non-domestic rate return. We are examining these data to assess their quality before making a decision whether they are suitable for publication. Meanwhile, we are working to see if we can establish an estimate for take-up using previous research in this area.
	Small business rate relief is funded by a supplement on the multiplier paid by those firms not receiving the relief. In 2008-09, an assumption was made that there would be a small increase in the number of ratepayers receiving the relief, following a change in legislation in 2008-09 allowing ratepayers to apply just once for the relief in each revaluation period.

Non-domestic Rates

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the expected take-up rate of the partial deferment scheme for increases in business rates.

Rosie Winterton: An assessment of the impact of the deferral scheme will be published alongside the regulations when they are laid in Parliament in July.

Non-domestic Rates

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the proposed business rate partial deferment scheme will provide for refunds to businesses which have paid more than 40 per cent. of the value of the 2009-10 rate increase.

Rosie Winterton: The deferral scheme will enable businesses to defer payment of 60 per cent. of the annual RPI increase in their 2009-10 rates billand, where applicable, 60 per cent. of any increase due to the end of the 2005 transitional relief schemeuntil 2010-11 and 2011-12. Regulations implementing the scheme will be brought into force by the end of July.
	It does not matter whether ratepayers have already paid, through monthly instalments, a certain portion of their 2009-10 rates bills when the scheme comes into force. All ratepayers with outstanding 2009-10 rates liabilities will be able to defer the amounts set out above (or their entire outstanding liability if that is a lesser amount). The deferred amount will be deducted from their remaining 2009-10 instalment payments.
	The Government do not have the power to make the regulations apply retrospectively, so billing authorities will not be able to provide refunds to any ratepayers who have chosen to pay their 2009-10 rates liabilities in full instead of exercising their right to pay by instalments.

Non-domestic Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average business rate bill in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10 in England.

Rosie Winterton: The average non-domestic rates bill in England is estimated as 11,357 in 2008-09 and 12,145 in 2009-10.

Non-domestic Rates

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 754-55W, on non-domestic rates, what the amount of costs associated with implementing deferral of business rate payments is in Table C11 of the 2009 Financial Statement and Budget Report within the departmental expenditure limit for his Department.

Rosie Winterton: The net additional costs to local government as a whole associated with implementing the business rates deferral scheme will be fully funded in accordance with the Government's policy on new burdens. We have estimated those costs to be approximately 5.8 million. The costs will be found from the existing 2009-10 CLG Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit of 25.6 billion, as set in Column 3 of Table C11.

Non-domestic Rates: Aerials

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether business rates may be levied in respect of mobile telephone pico-masts.

Rosie Winterton: Yes.

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the additional net revenue raised under the new arrangements for empty property business rates in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Rosie Winterton: The amount of empty property relief that local authorities estimated that they will grant in 2008-09 and 2009-10 was 1,001 million and 570 million respectively, compared with 1,294 million in 2007-08.
	These data are available in table 2 of the Statistics Release National non-domestic rates to be collected by local authorities in England 2009-10 that is available on the Communities and Local Government website at
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/nondomesticrates/forecast/

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the number of non-domestic buildings which were demolished in each region in each year from 2005-06 to 2008-09; on what proportion of such buildings business rates were being paid; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for each year from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Rosie Winterton: Neither the Department nor its agencies collect statistics on the number of demolitions of non-domestic properties. Nor do we make estimates of these figures for the next three years.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Valuation Office Agency took to implement the Government's policy that 2000 businesses within the hereditaments of the statutory ports should be separately rated in 2005.

Rosie Winterton: From 1 April 2005, the statutory ports (i.e. the operational land and buildings occupied by the statutory port operators) were removed from prescribed assessment under paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Instead, their rateable values were assessed by the Valuation Office Agency using conventional valuation rules (in paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the 1988 Act).
	Where a company has exclusive use, under a licence or other agreement with the designated port operator, a separate assessment is appropriate. This is a principle that applies right across rating and is not limited to ports. This is a long established principle for assessing properties both pre and post 1 April 2005.
	The change in how the port operator was rated did not affect the principle determining whether the operator or occupier was liable to rates. There have been separate assessments at ports for a number of years where the circumstances justify it.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) notified port operators in each scheduled port that they were to be separately rated for business rates; how they were notified; what consultation the VOA held with operators in each port on the matter; and what assessment the VOA made in each case of the business consequence to businesses of the changes.

Rosie Winterton: On 22 May 2006, the Valuation Office Agency initiated the review of all major ports to ensure consistency of treatment across the ports themselves and with the rating of similar businesses outside. They approached the port operators for full details of all port occupiers andas the information they required was suppliedstarted to inspect all the ports as part of the conventional rating process. A number of instances were found where a property that constituted a separate rateable property was either not assessed at all or was included in the overall port assessment.
	Occupiers were initially contacted in writing, by telephone or in person. Depending on the circumstances of the case, more than one inspection may have been required. As part of the review process the Agency highlighted the potential effect of the ports review to the occupiers affected.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what business rate assessments the Valuation Office Agency made on port operators in 2005; when it decided to change these assessments; and for what reason it so decided.

Rosie Winterton: The Valuation Office Agency assessed 55 large statutory ports and container terminals as part of the process of compiling the new rating lists for the 2005 revaluation. The original assessments in the 2005 list were produced in good faith on the basis of this information.
	It was only after the 2005 rating lists were compiled that, through routine rating work in the port of Southampton, it was established that further properties should be separately assessed. Immediately, on 22 May 2006, the VOA initiated a review of all major ports to ensure consistency of treatment across the ports themselves and with the rating of similar businesses outside.

North East Regional Assembly: Sovereign Strategy

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent payments the North East regional assembly and its successor have made to Sovereign Strategy in each of the last three years; and for what purposes.

Rosie Winterton: The Association of North East Councils (ANEC) have checked their records and confirmed that no payments have been made to Sovereign Strategy in any of the last three years from either the North East assembly or themselves.

Shared Ownership Schemes

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of the requirement of the Local Government Act 2003 in relation to the pooling of receipts from equity share sales on the number of local authorities which offer shared equity housing schemes.

Ian Austin: No overall assessment has been made of the effect on all local authorities which offer shared equity schemes of the requirement under section 11 of the Local Government Act 2003 in relation to the pooling of receipts.

Social Rented Housing: Finance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of his Department's budgets have been changed as a result of the proposed additional funding for social homes announced in the Building Britain's Future publication.

John Healey: The 1.5 billion for the Housing Pledge is additional expenditure on new affordable housing and related housing market provision as set out in Building Britain's Future. It is funded through contributions from other Government Departments and reprioritisation of Communities and Local Government programmes.

Social Rented Housing: Torbay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to increase the supply of affordable and social housing in Torbay.

Ian Austin: Following increased funding nationally from the Department, the Homes and Communities Agency has already allocated 8.6 million of grant funding to Torbay over the period 2008-11. This will deliver 185 new homes for rent and 39 shared ownership homes. Torbay could also benefit from the new funding streams (totalling 1.5 billion) in the Housing Pledge announced as part of Building Britain's Future on 29 June.
	My predecessor published Proposed Changes to the new South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) which would require Torbay to accommodate at least 15,000 new homes between 2006 and 2026, of which at least 35 per cent. should be affordable housing. The core strategy which Torbay borough council are currently preparing as part of their local development framework will set out the policy context for the future development of the area, and will need to address the overall growth levels set out in the RSS.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of providing the 49 additional pitches for Travellers sites in Hinckley and Bosworth required by the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment under the Local Development Framework.

Ian Austin: The Hinckley and Bosworth Submission Core Spatial Strategy, part of the LDF, which has yet to be formally adopted, makes provision for an additional 42 residential pitches for Gypsy and Travellers but does not specify the delivery mechanism for these provisions. The expectation is that the Gypsy and Traveller allocations, as with other housing allocations, will be delivered through a mix of public and private investment. For further detail I would refer the hon. Member to Hinckley and Bosworth borough council.

Valuation Office: Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether information derived from  (a) building control and  (b) planning departments is transferred to the Valuation Office Agency from local authorities using the Valuebill electronic interface.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 1 May 2008,  Official Report, column 672W.

Working Neighbourhoods Fund

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding had been  (a) allocated to,  (b) distributed to and  (c) spent by local authorities in Neighbourhood Renewal Funding in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10 on the latest date for which figures are available; and how much such funding he expects to be (A) allocated, (B) distributed and (C) spent by local authorities in 2010-11.

Rosie Winterton: The Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF) replaced the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) in April 2008. 464.5 million WNF funds were allocated and distributed to local authorities in 2008-09 and 507.8 million in 2009-10.
	Working Neighbourhoods Fund is paid to local authorities through the non-ringfenced area based grant. We expect local authorities to spend all of this money. Local authorities are subject to annual audit by Audit Commission appointed independent auditors who report on whether their general income is used efficiently and effectively with a view to ensuring value for money.